Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his final day at the helm remains up in the air, to be hashed out with whoever the Liberal Party crowns as its new leader this Sunday.
Speaking Tuesday at a press conference unveiling retaliatory tariffs against the U.S., Trudeau said, “That’s a discussion for me and the new leader—figuring out the transition timeline. It’ll be pretty swift, but there’s a lot to juggle, especially with things this messy right now.”
Back on January 6, Trudeau announced his resignation, pointing to “internal squabbles” that could tank the Liberals’ odds in the next election. He vowed to stick around as both PM and party boss until a successor emerged. After a whirlwind leadership race, the Liberals will name their pick in Ottawa this Sunday.
The contenders? Ex-Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, former deputy PM Chrystia Freeland, ex-cabinet minister Karina Gould, and former Liberal MP Frank Baylis. The winner’s expected to take the party reins on the spot, but stepping into the PM gig requires a swearing-in.
With Parliament sidelined until March 24, buzz is swirling that a snap election might hit before it reconvenes—leaving the next Liberal leader’s stint as PM a question mark until voters weigh in.