It came as no surprise to Stepehen Fuhr when Justin Trudeau stepped up to the microphone outside Rideau Cottage and announced his resignation as leader of the Liberal Party.
“Until recently, he did have the confidence of caucus, but certainly after (Chrystia) Freeland resigned, the wheels really started coming off the cart and it became more apparent, he didn’t have the internal support he thought he had,” the former Kelowna-Lake Country Liberal MP said.
Trudeau’s resignation has set the stage for an immediate leadership race, with potential successors such as Freeland, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne already in the spotlight.
Fuhr emphasized the next leader must be an effective communicator, capable of addressing both internal party challenges and public sentiment.
“Are there problems? Sure, there is. Are they trying to fix those problems? Yes, they are. Is the approach they are using, overtime, making it better for more Canadians? 100 per cent,” he said.
However, he noted that public perception often tells a different story.
Fuhr believes the next leader must focus on doubling down on policies that are effective while being unafraid to discard those that aren’t working.
He also pointed out Canada’s strong standing compared to other G7 and G20 countries, even if that success isn’t always reflected in public opinion.
In his resignation speech, Trudeau requested Governor General Mary Simon to prorogue Parliament until March 24, effectively delaying a non-confidence vote and postponing an election.
Fuhr admitted that Canadians are ready for change but expressed concern about whether they’ll get the “right change.” He noted that voters often cast their ballots against a party rather than for one, a trend he expects to see continue in the next election.
“People typically, once things start to workout … they assume the things that are working are always going to be there, but when you have a government change, that is not always the case,” he said.
He hopes the upcoming election will center the political conversation, noting that while many Canadians share a common vision for the country, much of the debate is about how to achieve it.
With global instability on the rise, Fuhr believes the next Liberal leader has a unique opportunity to position Canada as a global leader. However, he cautioned against divisive politics, urging the new leader to avoid tribalism and personal rivalries that could hinder their ability to lead effectively.