Liberal caucus to consider process for removing an unpopular party leader

For the first time since the election in April, the Liberal caucus is meeting on Parliament Hill today to get ready for the start of the new session and decide whether or not to use a procedure to remove a party leader who refuses to step down. The caucus is expected to vote on whether to adopt the Reform Act for the first time, though that vote would not put Prime Minister Mark Carney in any danger anytime soon. The meeting comes after Liberal MPs’ roller-coaster experience with former leader Justin Trudeau, who initially rejected calls from the caucus for him to step down before finally announcing his resignation a few weeks after his finance minister Chrystia Freeland quit in December. If the Reform Act is approved, Liberal MPs would have the ability to remove a party leader, similar to how the Conservatives removed Erin O’Toole from her position as leader after the Tories lost the 2021 election. However, only a fifth of the party’s MPs would be able to initiate a leadership review. That would enable MPs to remove their leader through a secret ballot if a majority of the caucus votes to do so.