‘Wish him all the best,’ Trudeau dismisses Liberal loyalist saying party would benefit from new leader

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has dismissed a long-time Liberal and current senator’s suggestion that it may be time he step down to make room for a new Liberal party leader.

This week, Sen. Percy Downe went public with his views amid a downward trend in the polls, economic unease and rumour mills churning about potential Liberal leadership contenders readying to replace him.

In a radio interview on The Vassy Kapelos Show Thursday, Downe said he’s hearing from “many members of the caucus” who are concerned and consider the time between now and February as critical for the party to conduct some internal soul-searching about the best path forward.

“It’s quite widespread,” Downe said. When asked why no other Liberals have said publicly what he claims they’ve communicated privately, the senator said they can’t for a range of reasons, including the fact that the party leader signs their nomination forms.

“It’s very difficult for them to do that and not see their careers go down in flames,” Downe said. “I would like to hear Mr. Trudeau address the concerns in the party publicly.”

Asked to comment on this chatter, on his way in to question period, the prime minister became animated.

“Oh Percy, yeah. How’s he doing?” Trudeau asked, to which a reporter indicated that he wants the prime minister to quit.

“Oh well, … I wish him all the best in the work that he’s doing,” the prime minister said, with a grin on his face.

Trudeau has repeatedly reaffirmed his plans to stay on and lead the Liberal party into the next federal election, campaigning against Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

Downe has been in the upper chamber since 2003, and was dropped alongside all Liberal senators from the Liberal caucus by Trudeau in 2014. He previously worked as former Liberal prime minister Jean Chretien’s chief of staff.

The senator first made his case in an op-ed published by The Hill Times on Monday that was then re-posted on news aggregator National Newswatch on Wednesday.

“There’s a very strong feeling in the Liberal party that Pierre can be defeated. The question is, is a change of leadership required to do that or not?” he told Kapelos, while noting the Liberal party owes Justin Trudeau a “tremendous debt of gratitude,” for pulling them from third to first place and maintaining government for eight years.

“But there’s a sense in the party … that there should be a discussion about where the party is going. And that discussion should be over the next 16 weeks, in case Justin decides not to run again, there will be time for a leadership and a new leader to step forward.” 

Asked by reporters after question period what he made of Downe’s comments and whether he thinks the prime minister can bounce back, long-time Trudeau ally and Liberal cabinet minister Seamus O’Regan said “absolutely.”

“Governments fluctuate…. you don’t lose faith. No. All this talk,” he said. “The job’s not vacant.”