(Montreal) Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be in Quebec on Wednesday, where he will take part in various events in the Montreal region.
Late this morning, Mr. Trudeau will make an announcement regarding community infrastructure and hold a press briefing.
Reporters will no doubt take the opportunity to question him about his future as leader of the Liberal Party, as several members of his caucus have expressed concerns since the Conservatives took a stronghold from them in a by-election in Toronto last week.
In the evening, Mr. Trudeau will take part in a Liberal Party fundraiser, along with ministers Mélanie Joly and Soraya Martinez Ferrada. He is scheduled to deliver a speech to Liberal activists at the event.
Last week, the Conservatives pulled off a surprise victory in the Toronto-St. Paul’s byelection. The riding was considered a Liberal stronghold, having been held by the Liberals for more than 30 years.
The day after the Liberal candidate’s defeat at the hands of her Conservative rival, by less than 600 votes, Mr. Trudeau assured that he had heard “the concerns” and “frustrations” of the voters, but he gave no signal that he might bow out.
The Prime Minister also reiterated on Monday that he still has “a lot of work to do” and that he intends to remain in office, during an interview given to Radio-Canada in Newfoundland and Labrador.
In the wake of the Toronto-St. Paul’s defeat, a Liberal MP not seeking re-election sent an email to his fellow caucus members demanding that Mr. Trudeau resign as party leader.
In the email obtained by The Canadian Press, New Brunswick MP Wayne Long said that for “the future of our party and for the good of our country, we need new leadership and new direction.”
PHOTO MICHAEL HAWKINS, THE CANADIAN PRESS
New Brunswick MP Wayne Long
Other elected officials, however, offered their support to Mr. Trudeau.
During a press scrum held Tuesday in New Brunswick, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc argued that the defeat in the by-election should be an opportunity for the government to examine its conscience.
PHOTO ADRIAN WYLD, THE CANADIAN PRESS
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc
“I was disappointed with the results in Toronto-St. Paul’s. I think we need to reflect, as a government. The Prime Minister said it well (Monday) in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, that this is a time to acknowledge defeat and understand what we can improve in order to better serve Canadians and remain focused on their priorities,” he said.