A Liberal member of Parliament says he didn’t mean to call for a review of Justin Trudeau’s leadership when he called for a review of Justin Trudeau’s leadership.
Liberal MP Ken McDonald walked back his comments from a Radio-Canada interview Wednesday, wherein he discussed his desire for a leadership review of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“The intent of my recent public comments was not to personally call for a leadership review, and I am not calling for one now,” claimed McDonald in a statement released Thursday.
McDonald represents Newfoundland’s Avalon riding.
McDonald’s updated stance on a leadership review of Trudeau is a far cry from his comments only a day before.
“The government now of today is getting to be an old government,” McDonald said in the interview, published by CBC News on Wednesday.
“People are thinking maybe it’s time for a change. I tell everybody — every leader, every party has a best-before date. Our best-before date is here. So we either have to change things up in a way to make people think we’re new again, or we’re able to do better going forward. But that’s not something I have control of.”
When CBC reporter Laurence Martin then asked a more pointed question regarding his comments.
“You seem to suggest that there needs to be some sort of a shakeup, like maybe a leadership shakeup or something?” asked Martin.
“Even a leadership review, right? Like—” said McDonald.
“You want a leadership review?” asked Martin again.
“A leadership review,” continued McDonald. “Normally, in most circumstances in politics and especially in the federal government, if you go from a majority government to a minority government, there’s supposed to be a leadership review. That hasn’t happened. And we went in a minority in 2019 … and then we went to another minority in ’21.”
“So you think at least there should be a leadership review in the Liberal party?” asked Martin directly, without room for interpretation.
“Yes,” responded McDonald. “Let’s clear the air. Let’s, you know, as a party let’s clear the air and if people are still intent on having the leader we have now, fine, but at least give people the opportunity to have their say in what they think of the direction the party is going.”
Martin then followed up by asking whether or not McDonald would support Trudeau if a leadership review were to take place. “And if there were a review like that, would you continue supporting Justin Trudeau or would you look for somebody else?”
“I would want to see the slate of candidates that would come forward and hear from them individually and then I would make up my mind,” answered McDonald.
“So it’s not clear for you right now whether Justin Trudeau is the right leader for the Liberal party?” asked Martin.
“No. It’s not clear,” said McDonald.
So far, no other Liberal MPs have publicly responded to McDonald’s comments from the initial Wednesday interview.
It’s important to note that McDonald never called for Trudeau to resign in the Radio-Canada interview however, he did confirm unequivocally that his support for Trudeau in the coming election remained uncertain.
However, McDonald’s tone took a dramatic shift the following day, saying in his Thursday statement.
“I believe that the prime minister is a smart politician, a great campaigner, and I know he still has the best interest of Canadians at heart,” wrote McDonald. “I will continue to support my caucus colleagues and the prime minister as I’ve done since 2015.”
