Still stinging from devastating byelection loss, Trudeau may be in for an earful as he meets with caucus

NANAIMO, B.C. -

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may be bracing for an earful from his caucus when Liberal MPs gather in Nanaimo, B.C. today to plot their strategy for the coming election year.

It will be the first time he faces them as a group since MPs departed Ottawa in the spring.

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Still stinging from a devastating byelection loss earlier this summer, the caucus is now also reeling from news that their national campaign director has resigned and the party can no longer count on the NDP to stave off an early election.

"They should be giving the prime minister a rough ride," said strategist Ginny Roth, who served as director of communications for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's leadership campaign.

She's skeptical they will, though.

"This is a caucus meeting that some of the caucus members demanded happen earlier this summer ... and he basically told them to pound sand, and he's only getting around to it now, and they have just accepted that," she said.

The governing Liberals found themselves in political freefall last summer and despite efforts to refocus on key issues like housing and affordability, the polls have not moved back in their favour.

Simmering calls for a new leader reached a new intensity earlier this summer when the Conservatives won over a longtime Liberal stronghold in a major byelection upset in Toronto St. Paul's.

Trudeau held fast to his decision to lead the party into the next election and rejected calls to convene his caucus over the summer to respond to their concerns about their collective prospects.

The prime minister has spoken with Liberal MPs one-on-one over the last few months and attended several regional meetings ahead of the Nanaimo retreat.

While several Liberals who don't feel comfortable speaking publicly say the meetings were positive, the prime minister has mainly held to his message that he is simply focused on "delivering for Canadians."

Some hope to hear more about how he plans to win those Canadians back when he addresses his team this week.

Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney is also expected to address the group. Long touted as a possible leadership successor to Trudeau, Carney will instead act as advisor to caucus on the economy and growth.

The three-day retreat is expected to include breakout meetings for the Indigenous, rural and women's caucuses.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2024.