Canada's Trudeau losing support within his party: MPs

OTTAWA

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's support within his own party appeared to falter further on Dec. 22, as former loyalists said growing numbers of Liberal caucus members wanted the premier to resign.

Trudeau has suffered a series of blows in recent days, spurred by the surprise resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who clashed with her boss over incoming U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports.

Freeland's exit, after nearly a decade at Trudeau's side, marked the first open dissent against the prime minister from within his cabinet and has emboldened critics.

Ottawa area MP Chandra Arya told the public broadcaster CBC on Dec. 22 that dozens of Liberal MPs wanted Trudeau to go.

Arya was interviewed a day after Liberal MPs from the province of Ontario held a meeting that addressed Trudeau's future.

Multiple outlets, including the CBC and Toronto Star, reported that more than 50 of the 75 Ontario Liberals in parliament declared in Dec. 21's meeting that they no longer supported Trudeau.

Asked about those reports, Arya said a "majority of the caucus thinks it is time for the prime minister to step aside."

Anthony Housefather, a Liberal member of parliament from the province of Quebec, told the CBC on Dec. 22 that "the prime minister needs to go."

"We're in an impossible situation if he stays," Housefather said.