Notable Canadians speak out on Trudeau’s decision to resign as prime minister

Justin Trudeau says he will resign as prime minister and the leader of the Liberal party following a leadership contest. He also says Gov. Gen. Mary Simon has agreed with his request to prorogue Parliament until March 24.

Some notable people have commented on the resignation news. There was no official comment from Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, long a vocal critic of Trudeau, and no post made on his X account or that of the Saskatchewan Party.

Here are some quotes:

“I want to thank Prime Minister Trudeau for his leadership over the last nine years. Throughout his tenure, he has been dedicated in guiding our nation through numerous challenges. I extend my gratitude for his service and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.

I fully support a decision that represents the best interest of all Canadians.

Looking ahead, I am hopeful that the new government will continue to prioritize the well-being of our citizens, foster economic growth and address the pressing issues facing our nation.”

— Regina Mayor Chad Bachynski

“Canadians desperate to turn the page on this dark chapter in our history might be relieved today that Justin Trudeau is finally leaving. But what has really changed? Every Liberal MP in power today and every potential Liberal leadership contender fighting for the top job helped Justin Trudeau break the country over the last nine years.”

— Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre

“The problem is not just Justin Trudeau. It’s every minister that’s been calling the shots. It’s every Liberal MP that looked down their nose at Canadians who are worried about high costs or crumbling health care. The Liberals do not deserve another chance, no matter who is the leader.”

— NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh

“There is no significant difference between the Liberal party that we know and the Liberal party that will be presented to us after there’s a new leader.”

— Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet

“As a lifelong Liberal I look forward to joining tens of thousands of Canadians to choose our next leader. This is the biggest opportunity in over a decade that we’ve had to grow our Party and welcome new Liberals — including Canadians concerned about the future of our country — let’s seize it!”

— Christy Clark, former British Columbia premier

“The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned. If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them.”

— U.S. president-elect Donald Trump

“President-elect Trump continues to make real threats about imposing sweeping tariffs that would devastate Canada’s economy. In two weeks, the president-elect will be sworn in as America’s next president and will have every opportunity to make his threats real. Between now and then, the federal government needs to do everything humanly possible to avoid these tariffs, including by doing more to secure our border and offering a credible plan to invest more in Canada’s military to meet and exceed our NATO spending commitments.”

— Ontario Premier Doug Ford

“At this critical time, Canadians need and deserve a prime minister and federal government with a clear mandate won from the Canadian people to negotiate with the incoming U.S. President and his administration on one of the most important international negotiations we have ever faced as a country.”

— Alberta Premier Danielle Smith

“His resignation marks a turning point as Canada tackles unprecedented domestic and international challenges. Canada can’t afford inaction with so much at stake. Unity is key: political leaders, businesses, and communities must come together around our common opportunities. Canada’s next prime minister must hit the ground running and be laser-focused on strengthening the Canada-U.S. trade relationship.”

— Canadian Chamber of Commerce president Candace Laing

“It should not have ended this way, but Spring will come, the grass will grow and the Liberal party will rise again.”

— Michael Ignatieff, former federal Liberal leader

“If anyone knew what it would mean for his children if he were to become PM — as the child of a PM — Justin Trudeau knew. I have observed for many years how he has consistently prioritized his family’s time and his children.”

— Green Leader Elizabeth May

“During his decade in office, Prime Minister Trudeau has taken meaningful steps to address issues that matter to First Nations. … Over the past few months, we have seen significant delays in progress on key issues. While Parliament has been prorogued until March 24, 2025, the federal government must ensure that critical issues affecting First Nations remain a priority during this period of change.”

— Assembly of First Nations national Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak

“I thank Justin Trudeau for his years of service to Canada and Canadians. I wish him and his family the very best.”

— Chrystia Freeland, former Liberal deputy prime minister

“I don’t need to agree with someone on every issue to respect the sacrifice it takes to run for public office and serve. Despite our differences, we were able to have frank conversations as we discussed what was best for the people of Nova Scotia.”

— Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston

Qu’Appelle MP and former conservative leader Andrew Scheer appeared on The Evan Bray Show shortly after the news about Trudeau’s resignation broke.

Scheer said despite Trudeau deciding to step down as Prime Minister, echoed his party leader by stating nothing is going to change.

“Trudeau’s announcement today changes nothing. They’re going to be changing the coat of paint on the broken-down car that’s driven this country off a cliff,” Scheer said.

“Every single person who is going to be putting their name forward to lead the Liberal Party supported Justin Trudeau’s terrible policies. This was Justin Trudeau making one last move to put himself ahead of Canadians. He should have called an election a long time ago and let Canadians choose for themselves what kind of future they want to have.”

Trudeau did not call for an election on Jan. 6 when he was making his announcement. However, it is a federal election year.

Scheer said he wasn’t surprised to hear that there’s not an election that’s imminent.

“I’m disappointed. I think it’s always best for politicians to understand that they serve the people, not themselves, but Justin Trudeau has never displayed that sense of putting Canadians first. He’s always put himself first, his own career first and this is one last move that proves that he was always in it for himself, not for the betterment of the Canadian people.”

Scheer added the conservatives plan to move a non-confidence motion in the House of Commons once Parliament resumes.

Trudeau said in his resignation announcement he came to the decision to resign after speaking with his family over the holidays, and that part of the reason was so Canadians have a “real choice” in the next election.

Citing “internal battles” within his caucus, Trudeau says he is not the best option for that race, despite being a “fighter” who is driven by his love for Canada and his desire to serve Canadians.

Read more:

• In his words: Justin Trudeau on his resignation as Liberal leader
• Prorogation of parliament kills capital gains tax changes tech community fought
• Timeline: Key moments in Justin Trudeau’s political life

Earlier on Monday, Brian Lilley, political columnist for the Toronto Sun, joined The Evan Bray Show to discuss the possibility of the resignation.

Trudeau’s announcement follows months of speculation over whether he will decide to step aside and trigger a leadership race.

The Liberals have trailed badly behind the Conservatives in the polls for more than a year and in September the NDP ended the supply-and-confidence agreement that was propping up the Liberal government.

Over the winter holiday break, Trudeau took time to reflect on his future amid growing calls from his caucus to step down.

Trudeau has ducked questions from the media for weeks and cancelled all his year-end interviews with news organizations after his Chrystia Freeland resigned from cabinet as finance minister on Dec. 16.

What does it mean to prorogue Parliament?

When Parliament is prorogued, it means the current session ends, and all members are relieved of their parliamentary duties until the next session begins. While the House was scheduled to resume on Jan. 27, MPs will now return on March 24.

During prorogation, Parliament’s authority to conduct business is suspended. Bills that have not received Royal Assent are effectively reset, meaning the legislative process for those bills must start over in the next session.

How are politicians reacting?

In a video posted to X on Monday, Pierre Poilievre, leader of the conservative party, said, “Nothing has changed” and wants an election called.

Nothing has changed.

Every Liberal MP and Leadership contender supported EVERYTHING Trudeau did for 9 years, and now they want to trick voters by swapping in another Liberal face to keep ripping off Canadians for another 4 years, just like Justin.

The only way to fix what… pic.twitter.com/YnNYANTs1y

— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) January 6, 2025

Leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party Jagmeet Singh said the Liberal Party let Canadians down and does not deserve another chance regardless of whoever takes Trudeau’s place as leader.

Singh also said the NDP would vote to bring down the government at the Throne Speech.

“We fought and fought the Liberals at every step, and we got as much as we could get out of them through our fight. It is clear they’ve walked away. Now it does not matter who has chosen as the next Liberal leader,” Singh said.

Singh also said the Liberals were more concerned with themselves than governing for Canadians.

“Obviously it’s wrong that the Liberals are choosing to shut down Parliament and not going to work. If someone didn’t show up to work, they would get fired. That’s what should happen. We should fire the Liberals,” he said.

Singh added that the NDP would give Canadians a viable option for Canadians concerned about potential cuts brought in by the Pierre Poilievre-led Conservative Party.

On X, Singh wrote:

https://twitter .com/theJagmeetSingh/status/1876309499604345066

— with files from Canadian Press