One Liberal MP who is calling for a secret vote on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership said ministers’ efforts to quell the issue may only increase tensions in the caucus.
In the wake of Last week’s Freedom Caucus meetingPrime Minister Trudeau has repeatedly said he is not going anywhere, even after 24 of his own MPs signed a letter calling for his resignation.
Several ministers have expressed support for the prime minister, and a majority of parliamentarians say they still support him.
Liberal MPs Alexandra Mendes and Ali Essassi are joining other MPs in calling for a secret vote on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership. If ministers feel strongly that Trudeau has overwhelming support in his caucus, “then let’s try this,” Essassi said.
But Liberal MP Ali Esassi told CBC News Network. power and politics The Cabinet’s efforts to move forward may be making the situation even worse.
“It’s not the whole answer,” Esassi told host David Cochrane.
“It’s great when people go public and say, ‘The vast majority of people are confident.’ It’s really nice to hear that. Give it a try.”
Essassi joins a number of other Liberal MPs in calling for their caucus to hold a secret vote on Trudeau’s leadership. He argued that such a vote may be the only way for the party to move forward.
”[If] “This is an issue that ministers feel strongly about, and the Prime Minister says he has overwhelming support in his caucus, so let’s try this issue and get rid of this issue.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland reiterated her claim at a press conference Tuesday that most Liberal MPs support Trudeau.
“I am absolutely confident, and more confident than ever, that the majority of Liberal MPs support the prime minister after our conversations over the past 36 hours in Ottawa,” she said. Ta.
Asked about the possibility of his caucus holding a secret vote on Trudeau’s leadership, Freeland rejected the idea, saying, “That’s not how the Liberals should govern.”
The Liberal Party has no formal mechanism to trigger a leadership vote or review of party constitution.
However, Congresswoman Alexandra Mendez, who joined Esassi, power and politicssaid he has heard from multiple voters concerned about Prime Minister Trudeau’s leadership. She said a secret ballot would do something for voters, even if it was an affirmation of Trudeau’s leadership.
“If we don’t end this issue in a very clear way, this situation will continue. We will not be answering to our constituents,” Mendez told Cochrane.
“I have to go back to the voters and say: ‘Hey, I got your message across…the answer is this, because the best person to lead us in the next election is the Prime Minister. Because we believe that.
Both Mr. Esassi and Mr. Mendez said they had no idea how the secret ballot would turn out. Esassi suggested there are more disgruntled MPs in the caucus than the 24 people who signed the letter calling for Trudeau to resign.
“What I’m hearing is that what we heard last week is the tip of the iceberg,” he said.
Both Mr. Esassi and Mr. Mendez declined to say whether they were among the 24 MPs who signed the document.
