A liberal MP says he will continue to raise his voice within the liberal caucus over continuing concerns with the leadership of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
A total of 24 federal MPs have asked the prime minister to step down as the party’s leader. Trudeau has said he will be staying on to lead the party into the next election.
MP for Sunshine Coast, West Vancouver and Sea to Sky Country Patrick Weiler says while people in his riding are pleased with his work as their MP, in several communities, constituents have been quite vocal about how they feel about the way the country is being run.
“They’ve made it overwhelmingly clear to me that they don’t support the prime minister and they’re looking for change,” he says. “If we don’t deliver it then they (voters) will.”
Weiler says he takes this very seriously, and the party needs to do what’s right to ensure Canadians’ issues are addressed.
“I am willing to stick up for what our riding is asking, even if it requires asking some very difficult questions, even if it makes some people uncomfortable and if it comes at a personal toll,” Weiler says. “That is what people elected me to do as their representative.
“That’s a message I’m willing and able to share with the prime minister.”
Photo credit: Justin Baumgardner, VistaRadio
The MPs are now pushing for a secret ballot caucus vote on Trudeau’s future within the party and Weiler says while a vote won’t force a change in leadership it will allow the party to see what direction is needed going forward.
“Myself and a number of my colleagues are in favor of a secret ballot vote, so we can provide a conclusive resolution to a lot of the discussions,” he says. “It would be a good measure for people to weigh in on how they feel and what they feel is the future direction.”
He adds the party is united when it comes to the next federal election and what needs to be done, but the division comes on how to achieve it.
“I think our party is united to win the next election, sometimes that involves asking some very difficult questions,” he says. “People are fundamentally agreed on what needs to be done, but maybe not on how to do that.”
According to 338Canada.com, if a federal election were held today the Liberal Party of Canada would form the official opposition with 59 seats, and the Conservative Party of Canada would have a majority government with 217 seats.
