'It had to happen': Maritime premiers, residents weigh-in on Trudeau resignation

The announcement didn’t really catch anyone off guard, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made it official in Ottawa on Monday.

Trudeau resigned as leader of the Liberal Party, but he’ll stay on as prime minister until a new party leader is chosen.

That’s music to the ears of New Brunswick Liberal MP Wayne Long.

The MP for Saint John-Rothesay has been calling on Trudeau to step down for months now so that someone else could represent the party in the next federal election against Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.

“This should have and could have happened months ago,” said Long. “It’s a day of reflection I know for a lot of us, but in the end, it had to happen. Our chances of winning the next election have just gone up by about a thousand per cent.”

Long also said it’s a day of sadness and reflection, but also day one of the party’s rebuild.

“So, let’s go,” said Long.

Maritime leaders react

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt says the announcement wasn’t a surprise and thinks the prime minister is making the right decision.

“I do. I think he clearly took a lot of time to think about it and consider what’s happening within his team and within the country and I think this is a good time for a bit of a reset and a refresh,” said Holt.

Holt was asked how she felt about Long and other members of the Atlantic Liberal caucus calling on Trudeau to resign because they had concerns over the future of the federal government.

“I’m not going to hold it against anybody for expressing their views and what they think is in the best interests of the people they represent,” said Holt. “I think a lot of people have felt for some time that things have been shifting and so I’m glad we’re in a place now where we can move forward.”

In Nova Scotia, Premier Tim Houston thanked Trudeau for his service to the country, adding he wishes him nothing but the best in whatever comes next.

“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,” reads Houston’s statement.

“Our government will continue to maintain relationships and dialogue with the federal government during this time of transition. The pressing issues won’t fade away - they need continued focus and attention. From president-elect Trump’s trade threats to the need for housing, we will continue working hard with our federal counterparts.”

Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King says while he didn’t always agree with Trudeau’s decisions, he always appreciated his desire to try to unite the country and do what’s best for Canadians.

“As Premier, I have had the privilege of working alongside him and his government, setting partisanship aside to advance initiatives that strengthened our communities and supported Island families. Prime Minister Trudeau’s deep love for Canada was evident, and I valued his openness to hearing the perspectives of Canada’s smallest province,” reads Kings statement.

“Regardless of political stripe, anyone who steps forward to serve in political life – especially in the highest office in the greatest country in the world – deserves our respect and gratitude. These roles demand tremendous sacrifice and come with extraordinary pressures. In a democracy, we may not agree with every decision made by our leaders, but it is essential to respect the office they hold and their commitment to serving our nation.”

Maritimers react

There was mixed reaction on the streets of Moncton, N.B., just minutes after Trudeau made the announcement in Ottawa.

“It’s about time,” said Cheryl Bernard. “I think it had to happen. Our future in Canada, I don’t know what it is right now, with the situation the way it is, but it was time for him to go.”

Brian MacIver thinks Trudeau did a lot of good for Canadians.

“I think the minority government was an excellent government. We got a lot of legislation in there that helped the disadvantaged. The poor, the needy, seniors like myself,” said MacIver.

Dylan O’Reilly said it was probably the right move for Trudeau.

“It seems there’s a lot of negative press about him. I just hope they can get it all settled soon with a new interim leader. Hopefully that can quiet down all the Trudeau hate and we can have a more civil discourse when it comes to politics,” said O’Reilly.

University of Prince Edward Island Political Science Professor Don Desserud said the announcement had been coming for some time.

“If I went back a year from now, I might not have thought this would happen. Events changed very, very quickly. The tide turned against the prime minister very, very quickly,” said Desserud.

As for what happens now, Desserud believes the writing is on the wall for the Liberal Party.

“The chances of them pulling off a miracle election win regardless of who leads the party is pretty remote,” said Desserud. “Really, they’re looking at two leaders. A leader right now to take over the party and move into the next election with the expectation that they’re not going to win that election. If that does come to pass, does that leader stay on to rebuild the party or do they go for yet another new leader?”

Among the possible candidates to replace Trudeau are New Brunswick MP Dominic LeBlanc, who was sworn in as finance minister after Chrystia Freeland abruptly resigned on Dec. 16, 2024.

Desserud believes LeBlanc would be a good fit to lead the party.

“The thing about Dominic LeBlanc is he’s very loyal to Justin Trudeau, but he’s also very loyal to the Liberal Party and there are thankless roles that are going to arise fairly soon and one of them is to lead the party into the next election even though with an expectation of defeat,” said Desserud.

In a social media message posted Monday, LeBlanc said serving alongside Trudeau was an honour of a lifetime.

“Beyond politics, your friendship and your support during my fight with cancer is something for which I will never cease to be grateful,” wrote LeBlanc. “I will always be proud of everything we accomplished together for Canadians.”