The former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation after many devoted years to the country. Trudeau revealed this on January 6 at his house after months of pressure and declining support from citizens and politicians alike. Trudeau will remain as prime minister until the Liberal Party finds a replacement.

Trudeau became the Liberal Party leader in 2013 and was inaugurated as Canada’s prime minister almost ten years ago in 2015. He was initially voted in mainly because of his charisma and promise of liberal change in the country. However, his population has declined over the years, especially after the coronavirus pandemic, which greatly raised prices in Canada. That, along with other recent mistakes, had made Trudeau quite unpopular in the country with the people and his own party members.

Trudeau himself has a long and mixed legacy. His father, Pierre Trudeau, was a successful and long prime minister throughout the 70s and 80s. His main focuses as a prime minister were diversity, climate change, and other progressive policies like legalizing cannabis. While his leadership brought change to Canada, he’s also criticized heavily for many controversies and economic challenges, which have led most of the Canadian population to want his resignation.

The leading party in Canada, the Liberal Party, will now begin the process of choosing a new leader to compete against Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre in the election later this year. The Conservative Party hasn’t won a majority government election since 2011, but they have been steadily gaining popularity, mainly due to the dislike of Trudeau, along with a growing conservative movement.

Canadian student Zach Houde ‘25 stated that he “strongly dislikes Trudeau because he doesn’t listen to our people.” Houde is from Quebec, a Canadian province with few cultural differences, and believes that Trudeau does not pay enough attention to his province and people. This sentiment is shared by Quebec residents who think that their province is being forgotten because of their different languages and practices.

Trudeau’s resignation marks a shift in Canadian politics. His time as prime minister focused on progressive politics, but it was filled with controversy regarding economic issues, greatly diminishing his support. As the Liberal Party searches for a replacement, it must confront the damage Trudeau did to the popularity of his party. The Conservative Party has steadily gained support from the Canadian people and will continue to be a strong competitor to the Liberal Party. Canada’s political future will continue to reveal itself as a new leader is chosen for the country.