Two former Liberal ministers say Trudeau should resign following Toronto by-election loss

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is facing calls from two Chrétien-era Liberal cabinet ministers to step down as party leader, with the former MPs pointing to this week’s midtown Toronto by-election defeat as further evidence of a strong desire for change among Canadian voters.

Wayne Easter said in an interview Wednesday that Mr. Trudeau and his team of senior advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office need to make some hard decisions in light of the party’s surprise loss to the Conservatives in the former Liberal stronghold of Toronto-St. Paul’s.

“There comes a time when you’ve got to know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em. And my suggestion would be, it’s time to fold ‘em,” said Mr. Easter, a Liberal MP from 2000 to 2021 and solicitor general in Jean Chrétien’s government.

Monday’s Conservative win adds a small splash of blue in the middle of the solidly red electoral map of urban Toronto ridings, suggesting the Liberal stronghold in the area is at high risk of crumbling in the next general election.

Several of Mr. Trudeau’s ministers have publicly pledged their support for his continued leadership this week. The Prime Minister previously said he will lead the party in the next election, but he has not yet responded to questions from the media since this week’s by-election results were confirmed.

John Ibbitson: Regardless of leader, the Liberals are at risk of a worse fate after Toronto-St. Paul’s by-election

In prepared remarks Tuesday, Mr. Trudeau told an event in the Greater Vancouver Area that the result was not one the Liberals wanted, and that he heard Canadians’ concerns and frustrations.

“My focus is on your success,” he said. “And that’s where it’s going to stay.”

But Mr. Easter said it’s clear from his travels across the country that the public mood has soured on Mr. Trudeau.

“The negative focal point against the government of Canada right now, like it or not, is the Prime Minister,” he said.

“This goes beyond the by-election. The by-election is a byproduct of the mood.”

Another cabinet minister for Mr. Chrétien, John Manley, has previously suggested Mr. Trudeau should resign. He said in an interview Wednesday that the by-election result shows why the Liberal Party must act quickly.

“My view is that he can’t win the next election. And I think for his benefit, and for the party’s, he should really take a close look at turning the leadership over sooner rather than leaving it too late,” Mr. Manley said.

Both Mr. Easter and Mr. Manley say long-time Liberal supporters feel the party’s policies have drifted too far to the left under Mr. Trudeau’s leadership.

“I know there are a lot of traditional Liberal supporters that comment to me that they didn’t think they were voting for an NDP government,” said Mr. Manley, an MP from 1988 to 2004 who is no longer active in Liberal politics.

The current Liberal minority government has agreed to implement a list of NDP policies in exchange for New Democratic support on confidence votes in the House of Commons.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Wednesday in Montreal that a “period of introspection” will be important to go through after the by-election loss, but he does not believe that Mr. Trudeau should resign.

“I think a lot of us have to take a step back and give our heads a shake, screw it on a little better,” he said.

Mr. Miller, who is a close friend to the Prime Minister, said his advice as a cabinet member and a colleague is for Mr. Trudeau to “absolutely stay on” at the helm. Mr. Miller believes Mr. Trudeau is best placed to take on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

“The quicker that we can get back on the horse and keep fighting for Canadians, I think the better.”

Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault also stated his support for the Prime Minister on Wednesday. At an Ottawa news conference, he said he has not had a chance to speak to many of his colleagues recently, but that, in the discussions he’s had, no MP or cabinet minister has said they think Mr. Trudeau should go.

Nik Nanos, chief data scientist of Nanos Research, said Mr. Trudeau’s brand is an “integral part” of the Liberal Party and that, “it’s hard to see knives coming out for him” for that reason.

“What’s clear, at least from the by-election in Toronto-St. Paul’s, is that the country is in a mood for change. We know that in the polling numbers nationally and it’s been shown in the by-election in St. Paul’s.”

Mr. Nanos noted the Liberals put a lot of capital in to trying to win the riding and that “it wasn’t enough to hold on.”

Shachi Kurl, president of Angus Reid Institute, said her institute released data on Monday that show that, among voters who might still consider voting Liberal, there are individuals who do not see Mr. Trudeau as the issue but rather the government’s lack of progress on issues they care about.

She said Mr. Trudeau, who is known to like boxing, is sporting a “stunning shiner” after the by-election loss. But she said “changing the fighter in the middle of the match” may not make a difference.