Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in a tight spot politically, as several Liberal Party lawmakers have urged him not to look forward to the fourth term. As per latest reports, at least 20 lawmakers have signed a letter asking Trudeau to step down before the next election. They have issued a deadline for Trudeau to announce his decision before October 28. The party members have expressed concerns over depleting polling numbers and the party’s deteriorating popularity.
Despite all the pressure, on Thursday, Trudeau said that he will lead his Liberal Party into the next election, dismissing requests made by some party members to not run for a fourth term. He further said that there are “robust conversations” ongoing about what’s the best way to move forward for the party, but highlighted that it will happen with him as leader going into the next election. Moreover, No Canadian prime minister in more than a century has won four straight terms.
Trudeau’s leadership in trouble
Trudeau had a three hour meeting with Liberal MPs and he said with a smile that the “Liberal Party is strong and united,” hinting about his intentions to not step down anytime soon. However, Ken McDonald, a Liberal MP from Newfoundland, strongly presented his disappointment and said that Trudeau needs to listen to party concerns. Trudeau’s leadership has come under increasing scrutiny after the party saw a hit in the special elections in key districts, including Toronto and Montreal.
This comes at a time when two gangsters in Canada, Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez, admitted on October 21 to the 2022 murder of Ripudaman Singh Malik, further proving Trudeau’s accusations on the Indian government as wrong. Trudeau has been trying to paint India as the villain in the murder of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar solely for votes. Let us tell you that Nijjar, a Khalistani leader, was killed in Surrey in June 2023, an act for which Trudeau controversially blamed India without providing concrete evidence.
The fresh confessions highlight the connection between Khalistani extremists and criminal gangs, an issue that has long caused trouble in Canada. Let us tell you that Malik, an accused in the 1985 Air India Kanishka bombing, was acquitted in 2005 but since then has become a pro-India person, which is believed to have angered Khalistani extremists like Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Malik had sent a letter of praise to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, thanking him for his contributions to the Sikh community, further deepening his rift with Khalistani factions.
Malik’s Murders Not of indian origin
Furthermore, Investigation revealed that Fox and Lopez, who pleaded guilty to Malik’s murder, are not of Indian origin. As per investigators, they do not believe the pair was hired by Indian diplomats. However, Malik’s association with pro-India activities and a personal feud with Nijjar over the printing rights of the Sikh holy book, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, seem to be key factors in his death.
As Trudeau contemplates his next move, the unfolding drama over his leadership, combined with the continuing fallout from the Malik and Nijjar killings, may leave him facing challenges on multiple fronts-both within his party and internationally.