Liberals Lose by-elections in British Columbia, Trudeau's Leadership Under Scrutiny

Investing.com -- The ruling Liberal Party in Canada suffered a defeat in a by-election in the western province of British Columbia. The preliminary results announced on Tuesday have intensified the current political challenges faced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

The minority Liberal government took another hit following the unexpected resignation of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Monday. Freeland cited policy disagreements with Trudeau and expressed dissatisfaction with the more limited role he proposed for her.

Numerous public opinion polls conducted over the past 18 months indicate that the official opposition party, the Conservatives, is likely to defeat the Liberals in the upcoming elections. In the 2021 election, the Liberals narrowly surpassed the Conservatives, receiving 39% of the vote compared to the Conservatives' 36%.

According to a report from Elections Canada, in the by-election held on Monday in the Cloverdale—Langley City riding, the Conservatives secured 66% of the votes while the Liberals came in second with 16%. The election was held to fill a vacant seat.

This defeat marks the third consecutive loss for the Liberals against the Conservatives in a by-election. Following the setback, Liberal MPs met with Trudeau on Monday night, with some reiterating calls for his resignation.

Chad Collins, a Member of Parliament from Ontario, the most populous province and a stronghold of the Liberal Party, voiced the sentiments of some members. Collins stated, "We are not united. Some of our members still believe that we need a leadership change." He suggested that the only way forward is to choose a new leader and present Canadians with a new plan and vision.