JUSTIN Trudeau on Monday morning announced that he will step down as prime minister after the Liberals choose a new leader.
Trudeau told the media outside his official residence, Rideau Cottage, in Ottawa that Governor General Mary Simon had granted his request to prorogue Parliament until March 24.
He said: “Despite best efforts to work through it, Parliament has been paralyzed for months after what has been the longest session of a minority parliament in Canadian history.
“That’s why this morning I advised the governor general that we need a new session of Parliament. She has granted this request and the House will now be prorogued until March 24.”
Trudeau said: “Over the holidays, I’ve also had a chance to reflect and have had long talks with my family about our future.”
He added: “Last night over dinner, I told my kids about the decision that I’m sharing with you today. I intend to resign as party leader, as prime minister, after the party selects its next leader through a robust nationwide competitive process.”
Trudeau said: “Last night, I asked the president of the Liberal Party to begin that process. This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I’m having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election.”
He asserted: “The Liberal Party of Canada is an important institution in the history of our great country and democracy. A new prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party will carry its values and ideals into that next election.
“I’m excited to see the process unfold in the months ahead. We were elected for the third time in 2021 to strengthen the economy post-pandemic and advance Canada’s interests in a complicated world, and that is exactly the job that I and we will continue to do for Canadians.”
Trudeau, who won three elections and served as the seventh longest prime minister, became Liberal leader in 2013 and prime minister in 2015.
The contenders for the Liberal leadership are expected to be Chrystia Freeland, Mark Carney, Christy Clark, Melanie Joly, Dominic LeBlanc, Francois-Philippe Champagne and Anita Anand.
Trudeau said Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s vision for this country is not the right one for Canadians. He added: “We need an ambitious, optimistic view of the future, and Pierre Poilievre is not offering that.”
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