Liberal Discontents Look to Topple Trudeau, Canadian Reports Say

(Bloomberg) — A group of lawmakers within Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s governing Liberal Party is organizing to pressure him to step down, according to news reports.

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Members of parliament held meetings in the capital, Ottawa, this week and have been asked to sign a document pledging to stand together in calling for a change in leadership, according to a report Friday from CBC News, which cited people who weren’t identified. “At least” 20 MPs have signed the document, according to CBC.

The alleged move comes as lawmakers return to parliament following damaging by-election losses for the Liberals in Montreal and Toronto, and while Trudeau, who has led Canada since 2015, and his chief of staff were out of the country for a summit in Asia.

An earlier article on Friday from the Toronto Star described an effort to publicly pressure Trudeau, 52, to step down, citing people who weren’t identified.

“At least 30 to 40 MPs” are ready to sign a letter, the newspaper reported.

Still, the number of dissenting MPs cited in the reports may fall short of a critical mass. The Liberal Party holds 153 seats in Canada’s House of Commons.

The prime minister’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Trade Minister Mary Ng, who’s traveling back to Canada from Laos with Trudeau, said she was disappointed to read about the MPs’ plan, and that she has full confidence in the prime minister, the Canadian Press reported.

In September, a parliamentary pact with another party which has kept Trudeau in power fell apart. Later in the month, he survived an attempt from the opposition Conservative Party to force an election.