Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to convene with a majority of his party’s MPs this afternoon in an effort to counteract their current decline in the polls. Trudeau arrived in Ottawa on Tuesday evening, later than expected due to unanticipated mechanical complications with his aircraft that hindered his departure from New Delhi.
The gathering -which is expected to see a majority of the 158 Liberal MPs in attendance- will take place in London, Ont. The primary objective of the meeting is to strategize and frame an effective blueprint for the upcoming fall parliamentary session.
In addition to this, the MPs also assembled in smaller contingents on Tuesday to evaluate and discuss pressing issues that affect Indigenous populations, rural and women’s issues. Furthermore, these groups are scheduled to meet again this morning in regional assemblies.
This retreat comes on the heels of a summer that witnessed a surge in popularity for the conservatives, largely related to debates over housing and cost-of-living issues. Liberal caucus chair Brenda Shanahan has voiced that her fellow MPs are engaging in open and “very frank” discussions to address these challenges.
A series of media reports have made note of the dissatisfaction among backbench MPs. They feel the party has failed to effectively communicate its achievements. There is also a growing concern that Prime Minister Trudeau is neglecting the issues raised by MPs who are not part of the cabinet.
