Nothing has changed with the Liberal Party following the announcement of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's pending resignation, says Kootenay-Columbia Conservative MP Rob Morrison.
The region's federal representative also criticized Trudeau's decision to prorogue parliament — essentially temporarily shutting down legislative business — until March 24, as a leadership campaign for the Liberal Party gets underway.
"Either have a non-confidence vote or get back to government," said Morrison, in an interview on Jan. 7.
Trudeau announced his intent to resign during a press conference on Monday, Jan. 6 after calls from all sides of the political spectrum urged a non-confidence vote in the House of Commons amid public calls from some inside the Liberal Party ranks to step down.
"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," said Trudeau.
Whoever Liberal Party members choose as party leader will automatically become Prime Minister until an election is held, which could happen as soon as a non-confidence vote fails to pass the House of Commons or until the new leader approaches the Governor General to dissolve parliament.
Morrison noted that government business after prorogation ends may force a non-confidence vote and trigger an election.
"I think they're going to have to deal with some financial issues because we're coming into where the government needs money to spend but they need approval to spend it, so I think we'll be into an automatic non-confidence vote if it's anything financial and that should be one of the first things that comes into play after March," he said.
The pending inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who has been threatening to implement tariffs on Canadian goods, adds another element of uncertainty while the Liberals select a new leader.
"We need strong leadership to deal with international relationships, whether ti's President Trump or whoever it is in whatever country — we need strong leadership," Morrison said.
Trudeau's announcement to resign was a shock, according to Tamara Cartwright, who lives in Cranbrook and heads up the Kootenay-Columbia Liberal Party Electoral District Association.
"I know he's stepping aside with grace to allow Canadians to have a choice," she said, later noting that the Liberal Party didn't consult with EDA chairs about what they were hearing from grassroots party members.
Cartwright said she met Trudeau personally at a party convention in Montreal and an Edmonton caucus meeting 2014 after he was elected leader as part of her activism in the legalization of marijuana.
After nine years as the country's prime minister — four years with a governing majority, and four years with two minority parliaments — Trudeau leaves a complex legacy.
Cartwright highlighted the legalization of marijuana, First Nations reconciliation, and efforts to expand childcare spaces and family benefits as key milestones.
"The legacy I think he leaves behind is what he's done for women, children and First Nations," she said.
As the party prepares for a leadership contest, Cartwright says she'd like to see the party unify amid the vitriol and polarization of the everyday political discourse.
"I'd like to see our party come back together...and start reestablishing what the future looks like and what moving forward meant back in 2015, when they all jumped on board," Cartwright said, "and go back to our roots and remember that we're here to serve the people, and the people are the people who put them in office and they need to start going back to their constituents and find out what they need."
