Justin Trudeau will step aside as the leader of the Liberal Party after taking the helm in April 2013.
Trudeau will also resign as Prime Minister once the party selects a new leader. He was first elected in October 2015.
Governor General Mary Simon also granted Trudeau’s request to prorogue Parliament until March 24.
This move means that all parliamentary business before the House of Commons and the Senate will die until a new session begins. Also, Members of Parliament and Senators are relieved of their duties and committees will come to a halt.
Proroguing Parliament will postpone a potential non-confidence motion that was expected by the end of the month.
New Brunswick Progressive Conservative MP John Williamson is the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and announced on Dec. 27 that the committee would begin discussions on Jan. 7 about another non-confidence motion.
With NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s expected support alongside PC Leader Pierre Poilievre, a successful non-confidence vote could’ve triggered Trudeau’s resignation and a federal general election.
According to a recent Angus Reid Institute poll, 74 per cent of respondents disapprove of Trudeau as the country’s leader. The 22 per cent of respondents who say they have a positive impression of Trudeau is the lowest since he became party leader.
Trudeau has recently faced open calls for him to step down from 24 Liberal MPs and the party’s Atlantic, Ontario and Quebec regional caucuses.
In front of Ottawa’s Rideau Cottage today, Trudeau told reporters that if he has to “fight internal battles” he cannot be the best choice for prime minister.
He also said in his speech that he told the Liberal Party president last night to begin a “nationwide” process for a new leader of the party.
An early supporter of Trudeau’s resignation, Saint John Liberal MP Wayne Long, told CBC’s Rosemary Barton that today is “not a day of celebration” and he thanks Trudeau for his years of service.
Long also added that Canadians deserve an alternative to Pierre Poilievre in the next federal election.
