N.B. Liberals relieved by Trudeau's departure announcement
Premier says resignation chance for ‘reset,’ while MP says gives federal party better chance in next election
Two high-profile New Brunswick Liberals expressed relief Monday that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will leave politics rather than fight a federal election expected this year.
Premier Susan Holt, who has kept her political distance from the federal Liberal prime minister, said Trudeau's departure is a chance for the country to move on.
"I think it's become clear that the government hasn't been working the way that it should, both in the House of Commons and within the government ranks. It felt like progress had stalled and the ability to move forward wasn't there anymore," she said.
"I think Canadians have expressed that it's time for a refresh, and a reset, and a new direction, so I think this is the right decision for the prime minister to have made."
Saint John-Rothesday Liberal MP Wayne Long, among the first of the party's members to openly call for Trudeau to leave last summer, said it was not a day for celebration or vindication.
"Honestly, it's a day of reflection of all the great things Justin Trudeau has done for this country, and honestly a day of sadness that we actually had to get to this point," said Long, who was first elected as part of the Trudeau wave in the 2015 election.
The prime minister said Monday that he would resign as federal Liberal leader and prime minister after the party chooses a new leader.
He also said the Governor General had granted his request to prorogue Parliament until March 24 to allow that process to unfold.
Trudeau's government is far behind the federal Conservatives in polls of Canadians' voting intentions, and the Liberals lost a string of byelections last year.
Long said while it would have been better if Trudeau had quit earlier, "today is day one of the Liberal rebuild. We have a way better chance of winning the election than we did two hours ago."
He said, however, the party has to re-examine some of its policies, including its carbon tax system, and move back to the political centre.
After Holt's decisive provincial election win in October, Trudeau quickly sought a meeting in Fredericton where he shared a news conference with the new premier.
They discussed potential federal-provincial agreements on health care, housing and free school meals.
"New Brunswick has had certainly, lately, a sense of collaboration and an openness from the ministers and the staff to respond to the priorities we've expressed, and I hope that that remains consistent with whomever comes next," Holt said.
Beauséjour Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc, who became Trudeau's finance minister in December after Chrystia Freeland's resignation, is among the federal party members seen as a potential replacement for Trudeau.
"Having someone who knows our province well, who's been known to fight for our interests, is really appealing," said Holt, adding she would likely not officially endorse any federal leadership candidate.
Long agreed that LeBlanc is "a natural leader" and would be great as a replacement, but also wouldn't officially back him.
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