After doubling down on leadership, Trudeau hits deadline to respond to caucus letter

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. Trudeau is supposed to respond today to a group of Liberal MPs demanding his resignation, but the prime minister has already made his plans clear. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA — Justin Trudeau is supposed to respond today to a group of Liberal MPs demanding his resignation as party leader, but the prime minister has already made his plans clear.

At a Liberal caucus meeting Wednesday, 24 MPs delivered a letter to Trudeau asking him to resign and giving him until Monday to respond.

But the prime minister told reporters the next day that he plans to stay on at the party helm.

It's unclear what the dissenting MPs — most of whom have stayed anonymous to the public — plan to do in response, with one of them saying he's "moving on."

The Trudeau government will be tested again on Tuesday when they hit another deadline from the Bloc Québécois to pass two pieces of legislation that would increase old-age security payments for seniors and bolster supply management.

Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet has threatened to begin discussions with other opposition parties about toppling the minority government if the Liberals don't comply.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 28, 2024.

Nojoud Al Mallees, The Canadian Press

Return to LakelandToday.ca