Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told his MPs he would reflect on what they had to say in a three-hour caucus meeting where some Liberals confronted him about his leadership.
Trudeau was smiling when he left the meeting on Wednesday afternoon, and as he walked briskly past a hoard of waiting reporters on Parliament Hill he said only that the Liberal party is 㽶Ƶֱstrong and united.㽶Ƶֱ
While Liberal MPs were tight-lipped about what happened behind closed doors, most agreed with the prime minister that they were indeed united 㽶Ƶֱ though notably not all would say they were united behind Trudeau.
㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs the decision of the leader of the party as to whether he stays on as leader,㽶Ƶֱ said Ontario Liberal MP Yvan Baker.
㽶ƵֱI think our party is united on a path forward to make sure we㽶Ƶֱre addressing the needs of Canadians, and stopping Pierre Poilievre.㽶Ƶֱ
More than 50 people spoke at the meeting, said B.C. MP Ken Hardie. He described the conversation as very respectful, and said that caucus must also reflect on what it has heard.
Trudeau made it clear that he feels he㽶Ƶֱs the right person to lead the Liberals into the next election against Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Ontario Liberal MP Charles Souza said after the meeting.
㽶ƵֱJustin Trudeau is reflecting and he㽶Ƶֱs standing strong, and we㽶Ƶֱre standing strong as well, as a Liberal party,㽶Ƶֱ Souza told reporters.
㽶ƵֱWe as a party recognize that the real threat here is Pierre Poilievre, and that㽶Ƶֱs what we㽶Ƶֱre fighting for.㽶Ƶֱ
Ontario Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith said the caucus was scheduled to hear details of the plan for the next election from their newly appointed national campaign director Andrew Bevan, but the conversation about Trudeau㽶Ƶֱs leadership pushed Bevan off the agenda.
㽶ƵֱWe gotta stop the palace intrigue, and we gotta focus on what㽶Ƶֱs most important,㽶Ƶֱ said Erskine-Smith, who said he told his colleagues the same in the meeting.
㽶ƵֱMy colleagues need to turn the knives outwards and not inwards, and we need to focus on the most important thing, which is getting things done here in Parliament and taking the fight to Pierre Poilievre.㽶Ƶֱ
Rumours have circulated for weeks that an undisclosed number of Liberal MPs have signed on to an effort to oust the prime minister in the hopes of improving the party㽶Ƶֱs chances in the next election.
Trudeau has so far showed no signs that he plans to step down from the top job, and represented the government in question period with the boisterous support of Liberal MPs in the House Wednesday.
MPs have no way to force the prime minister to leave his post, the decision about whether to stay on or step aside is entirely up to him.
Newfoundland MP Ken McDonald, who has already said he does not plan to run in the next election, said some of his colleagues who do plan to put their name on the ballot are nervous because of poor polling numbers.
He said he signed on to a letter that was presented to Trudeau at the meeting. MPs have been careful not to reveal what exactly the letter said.
McDonald said Trudeau needs to 㽶Ƶֱstart listening, listening to the people.㽶Ƶֱ
He publicly called for the party to hold a leadership review back in January, but later walked those comments back.
Charlottetown MP Sean Casey also signed the letter. After the meeting, he would not discuss what happened except to say, with a deadpan expression, that it was 㽶Ƶֱgreat.㽶Ƶֱ
Before the meeting, Casey had said that he wished there was a mechanism to have a blind ballot so MPs could signal their confidence, or lack of confidence, in Trudeau㽶Ƶֱs leadership anonymously.
New Brunswick MP Wayne Long, who has also said he signed the letter, did not take questions after the meeting.
Trudeau㽶Ƶֱs personal poll numbers plummeted more than a year ago, and the Liberals have consistently trailed the Conservatives in national polls for a year.
Successive byelection losses over the summer in Toronto and Montreal have compounded concerns about his ability to lead the party into the next election.