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Justin Trudeau is resigning. What happens next?

The Canadian prime minister announced that he will step down and have his Liberal Party choose a new leader to lead them into the next election

By Mel Woods • January 7, 2025 11:22 am EDT

Justin Trudeau announced Monday that he is stepping down as Canadian prime minister and leader of the federal Liberal Party. Parliament will be prorogued until March 24 to allow for a Liberal leadership race.

The move is a long time coming for the beleaguered Trudeau, who’s faced both internal and external calls to step down over the past few months. The prorogation delays a possible confidence vote and subsequent federal election call likely until at least the end of March. 

Senior editor Mel Woods breaks down what happens next, and what LGBTQ2S+ people and allies need to know for the next tumultuous few months in Canadian politics.

More From This Contributor

Senior editor Mel Woods is an English-speaking Vancouver-based writer, editor and audio producer and a former associate editor with HuffPost Canada. A proud prairie queer and ranch dressing expert, their work has also appeared in Vice, Slate, the Tyee, the CBC, the Globe and Mail and the Walrus.

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