Liberal caucus staying quiet after major byelection defeat that rattled party
Liberal campaign co-chair Terry Duguid insisted Thursday that his caucus is united behind Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, even as the majority of elected Liberals remain silent on the prime minister's political future.
The Canadian Press contacted dozens of Liberal MPs following the unexpected loss of a Toronto stronghold in a byelection earlier this week.
Most of them didn't respond at all. Those who agreed to be quoted on the record, including Duguid, are all standing by Trudeau.
Several Liberals responded only on the condition they not be identified because they weren't comfortable criticizing their leader in public at this point. Those MPs either suggested it's time for Trudeau to go or, at the very least, that the caucus needs to meet soon to discuss how to move forward.
British Columbia MP Ken Hardie, who said he wants Trudeau to stay, said the lessons his party should learn from losing Toronto-St. Paul's to the Conservatives requires a "collaborative discussion."
The byelection loss happened just days after Parliamentarians left the House of Commons for the summer break and returned to their home ridings for the summer.
While some MPs have met with others in their own regions since Monday, the rest remain scattered across the country. The full caucus isn't scheduled to gather again until a retreat in British Columbia before the House of Commons returns in September.
House Leader Steven MacKinnon said there is no need to meet earlier than that.
“I know the Prime Minister is listening very closely to all my colleagues and to ministers and others. There are a great number of feedback mechanisms available to us and I think we’ll be availing ourselves of all of them," MacKinnon said at a press conference Thursday, and reiterated his support for Trudeau.
McKinnon said he's also in regular contact with his caucus colleagues as part of his role as House leader.
Duguid, one of the few Liberal MPs outside of cabinet to speak publicly since the byelection loss, said in an interview Thursday that there had been some discussion of holding an early national caucus meeting but no decision had been made.
He said he believes his colleagues are united in their desire for Trudeau to stay on as leader.
"He has overwhelming support in our caucus," Duguid said in an interview Thursday.
"The reality is the prime minister is a great campaigner and a great communicator and I'm excited about running under his banner in 2025."
Several sitting Liberals credit Trudeau for improving their political fortunes since he became leader in 2013. He led them successfully through the last three elections, and pulled the party back into government just one election after its worst electoral showing ever in 2011.
Duguid admits many MPs are frustrated but adds those feelings stem from the struggle to connect with Canadians, not concerns about the prime minister.
"We talk to real people at the grocery store, at community events and we feel people's frustrations. We want to do something about it and we are doing something about it," he said.
The Liberals so far have confirmed the nominations of 102 candidates for the next election, and 100 of those are sitting MPs, accounting for roughly two-thirds of the 155-member caucus. Parker Lund, the party's director of communications, expects to announce more in the coming weeks and months.
Toronto-area Liberal Shafqat Ali, who is nominated to run again in Brampton-Centre, said he doesn't get the sense that people are planning to jump ship. However none of those nominated candidates are obligated to go through with the campaign when the time comes.
He said the Liberals need to "re-strategize and reanalyze" moving forward.
The Liberal's defeat this week, in what was considered a safe seat for the Liberals in Toronto, suggests just how much trouble the party may be in heading into the next campaign. In 2011, when the Liberals won just 34 seats nationally, Carolyn Bennett hung on with some ease to Toronto-St. Paul's.
For the seat to go to the Conservatives now could suggest an even worse result than 2011.
Duguid said he doesn't put much stock in that concern, insisting Carolyn Bennett, whose resignation in January triggered the byelection, was a longtime Liberal incumbent and the seat was more about her than the party.
"It was a very much Carolyn Bennett riding," he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2024.
— With files from Anja Karadeglija
IN DEPTH
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6922467.1718138898!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6850735.1713368648!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6941344.1719400735!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
She's still busy at 105. What secrets and science are behind Canada's 'super agers'?
There is ongoing research to better understand the relationship between social connection and healthy aging, and why the brains of super agers look different compared with their peers.
Charges pending after 3-year-old Edmonton boy struck, killed by truck in marked crosswalk
Police say charges are pending after a boy was killed and his mother and sister were injured in a crash in south Edmonton on Thursday.
The new airline rivalries: Air Canada vs. Porter, WestJet vs. Flair
In a country traditionally dominated by two national airlines, a new set of aviation rivalries has emerged. Porter is increasingly moving in on Air Canada's home turf of Central Canada as well as cross-country routes, while WestJet seeks to counter the threat of Flair Airlines in a shift from the decades-old industry dynamic of sparring between the two biggest carriers.
'Lab-grown' meat maker hosts Miami tasting party as Florida ban goes into effect
As Florida's ban on "lab-grown" meat is set to go into effect next week, one manufacturer hosted a last hurrah — at least for now — with a cultivated meat-tasting party in Miami.
Some of the wealthiest Canadians in Canada, according to Forbes
If you gathered all the wealth that billionaires currently have worldwide, you would have about US$14.2 trillion, according to Forbes Magazine. But what about in Canada alone?
Strong turnout in France's high-stakes elections as support for the far right grows
Voters across mainland France cast ballots Sunday in the first round of early parliamentary elections that could put the government in the hands of nationalist, far-right parties for the first time since the Nazi era.
Summer hours are a perk small businesses can offer to workers to boost morale
Business owners have found that offering summer hours – a reduced schedule on Fridays, usually between Victoria Day and Labour Day — can be a way to boost employee morale. Workers are able to deal with summer childcare gaps, return to the office refreshed and feel like their job values them, owners say.
German police believe man who climbed arena roof during Euro 2024 game was a would-be photographer
German police said Sunday they believe a man who scaled the roof of the stadium as Germany played Denmark at Euro 2024 was a would-be photographer and they have no evidence he intended to hurt anyone.
'7 years of regret': Raunchy leg piece wins bad tattoo competition at Edmonton Expo Centre
Friday night was a celebration of mistakes for a small group of body art enthusiasts.
Local Spotlight
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6944611.1719580132!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpeg)
'I am very proud': Manitoba grandfather and grandson graduate high school in same class
A grandfather and grandson duo proudly graduated alongside each other at the same northern Manitoba school.
'Absolutely amazing video': Basking shark spotted along eastern shore of Nova Scotia
A large basking shark was captured close to the shoreline on Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore.
World's largest hockey stick in B.C. to be chopped up, sold to collectors
The world's largest hockey stick could soon become the world's most in-pieces hockey stick as a Vancouver Island community prepares to tear down and carve up the Canadian landmark.
'Hanging on for her life': Sask. family desperate to bring home sick niece from Philippines
For half a decade, a Saskatoon family has been trying to bring their orphaned niece to Canada, they say now it’s a matter of life or death.
'Really disappointed': Painting at Winnipeg Art Gallery found to be a forgery
The Winnipeg Art Gallery- Qaumajuq recently discovered that one piece in its collection is a fake and part of a massive art forgery ring that included more than 1,500 pieces.
Six-year-old Montreal boy triumphs in Canadian math competition
Six-year-old Bruce Arthur Chang is the new grand champion of Canada in the UCMAS math competition, and says he is hoping to make a mark on the international stage.
Halifax icon who wore high heels with pride dies at 86
Harold Brenton Anderson, who wore high heels for decades in Halifax and loved to travel, has died.
This Ottawa 'fat cat' on a weight loss journey has become a TikTok star
An Ottawa cat has morphed into a TikTok star, as he's slimming down from weighing 43 pounds.
'I just really like the sport': Meet the 90-year-old local slo-pitch player still living out his passion
Bill Neald is still living out his passion of playing baseball at the age of 90 in Regina’s Senior Mixed Slo-Pitch League.