Most of caucus supports PM, Freeland says

GTA Liberals met with deputy leader to discuss Toronto—St. Paul’s byelection loss

- ALEX BALLINGALL

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told reporters Thursday that the recent byelection loss reflected how people are facing cost-of-living challenges, that the government needs to better respond to the public’s concerns and that Justin Trudeau has broad backing within the party.

OTTAWA Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Thursday that the “vast, vast majority” of the Liberal caucus supports Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as top figures in the governing party continue to deal with the repercussions of a recent byelection defeat that sparked a wave calls for Trudeau to resign.

Freeland also confirmed Thursday that a group of Liberal MPs from Toronto gathered Wednesday night at her Summerhill home, where they discussed the June 24 byelection loss in Toronto—St. Paul’s to a candidate for Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative party.

That was the first defeat in the Trudeau era of a federal Liberal in Canada’s biggest city, in a midtown riding that had elected Grits in all 10 campaigns since 1993.

“We did have a meeting,” Freeland said during a news conference in Milton.