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THE END OF TRUDEAU ERA

Immigration law

07 Jan

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has officially declared his plans to step down as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, leaving a nation wondering if this is the end of the "Trudeau Era" or just a really long intermission.

Trudeau’s decision to resign follows a dip in his popularity and growing pressure from numerous Liberal MPs, who’ve been voicing their desire for a change at the top.

With all the uncertainty over who's steering the Liberal Party ship and when the next election might hit, one thing’s crystal clear: Governor General Mary Simon really dropped the ball when she approved Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s request to prorogue Parliament. Honestly, she should’ve just given him a firm “Nope, not today, buddy!”

Now, the pressing question on everyone's mind is: Why? Why did Mary Simon agree to approve the request? - It rests on a straightforward, though often misunderstood, fact: the Liberal Party is not the government. The ongoing issue with Liberal leadership is beside the point. Our government is led by Trudeau and his ministers, who are the ones required to maintain the confidence of Parliament. Clearly, at this moment, they do not.

Every other party in Parliament has now openly declared they no longer have confidence in the current government. This might not be a big deal if Trudeau's government had a majority, but, of course, it doesn’t. It’s been a minority government, surviving mainly on the goodwill (and occasional backroom deals) with other parties, particularly the NDP. It’s a bit like walking a tightrope-one wrong move and the whole thing could come crashing down.

Also, with Parliament prorogued until March 24, the federal government won’t be able to pass any new legislation. Looks like some planned changes to Canada’s immigration system might be put on ice—hopefully not for too long!

After Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre slammed the decision, calling it a shallow move by the Liberal Party to improve its chances in upcoming elections.

Poilievre contended that, despite Trudeau's departure, the resignation does little to address the deep-rooted issues and policy failures that marked his nine years in office—it's like putting a band-aid on a broken leg.

Trudeau rose to power in 2015, ending a decade of Conservative rule and earning accolades for steering Canada back to its liberal roots. As the son of a former prime minister, his leadership was initially seen as a fresh symbol of progressive change.

However, in recent years, his popularity has sharply declined. Canadians have grown increasingly frustrated with skyrocketing food and housing costs, as well as concerns over immigration-leaving many feelings like they’re paying for a dinner they didn’t order. This has contributed to a noticeable dip in public support.

But wait, you might wonder - what about the Liberal Party and its leadership selection process? What about the party’s constitution, which lays out a specific procedure for picking a leader? It’s almost as if they can’t just pick one like it’s a game of musical chairs.

Trump also reacted to Trudeau's resignation with a post on his Truth Social platform – “Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this and resigned. If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!”.

Xavier Delgado, a senior associate at the Wilson Center's Canada Institute, believes that Prime Minister Trudeau stepping down at this time puts Canada and its economy at risk, especially when it comes to any actions U.S. President Trump might take. He also pointed out that it doesn't seem like the right moment for Trudeau to announce his resignation, given the important relationship between Canada and the U.S.

"By announcing his resignation, Trudeau has basically handed himself the title of 'lame duck' prime minister," Delgado joked. "He’s got no real mandate now, especially since everyone in Washington knows he won't be sticking around for long."

Now that Parliament has been prorogued, the federal government’s ability to pass new laws is on pause. So, if you were hoping for any quick changes to Canada’s immigration system, you might be in for a longer wait—guess we’ll all have to practice patience (and maybe sharpen our maple syrup skills in the meantime).

You might be wondering, "What about the Liberal Party and how they pick their leader? Doesn’t their constitution have rules for that?" Well, that’s not really the Governor General’s problem. In fact, even if it were, you can totally have one party leader and a different prime minister. It’s like picking the captain of a team, but the coach can still be someone else.

RRM Law, a Brampton immigration lawyer and one of the best law firms in Brampton, can assist you regardless of the changes by providing expert guidance immigration and offers support in other legal areas, such as criminal defense attorney, real estate lawyer, and family law attorney.