Justin Trudeau will shuffle his cabinet on Friday, with changes expected to about a quarter of his senior team after a tumultuous week in which calls for the Prime Minister to step down have grown.
A senior government source confirmed the shuffle will take place Friday morning and is expected to include more than 10 people, with changes expected to the current slate of ministers as well as new additions from the Liberal backbench.
The Globe and Mail is not identifying the source because they were not permitted to disclose the still-private plans.
On Monday, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland triggered the Prime Minister’s most serious political crisis of his tenure when she abruptly resigned from cabinet. Ms. Freeland cited policy and political differences with Mr. Trudeau.
Since then at least 15 Liberal MPs have publicly called for the Prime Minister to step down, although Mr. Trudeau has yet to publicly clarify his plans.
When asked by reporters Thursday whether Mr. Trudeau still had the full support of his cabinet, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc said “yes.”
Mr. LeBlanc was also asked for his comments on the fact that four Liberal MPs from his home province of New Brunswick are among those calling for Mr. Trudeau to go.
“That’s a view they’re expressing. The Prime Minister listened carefully when that view was expressed to him,” Mr. LeBlanc said, after a funding announcement in Dorchester, N.B.
“Colleagues did what is the appropriate thing. They, in a caucus meeting, expressed those views directly to the Prime Minister himself. He listened, he in some cases responded to specific things that were raised, and he said he would reflect carefully on what he’s heard. That’s how the process works.”
More to come.