Trudeau says he is 'committed' to staying as PM after byelection loss

Justin Trudeau says Monday he is "committed" to staying on as prime minister after the Liberals' shocking Toronto-St. Paul's byelection loss exactly one week ago.

"There's always going to be lots of reflection after a tough loss, but there's also so much to do," Trudeau told CBC's Heather Hiscox, answering questions about his future for the first time since the upset.

Before last week's vote, a Conservative candidate hadn't been competitive in the federal riding of Toronto-St. Paul's since the 1980s. The party hadn't won a seat in urban Toronto since the 2011 federal election.

Conservative Don Stewart secured the breakthrough, beating Liberal candidate Leslie Church by 590 votes. The Liberals won the seat in the 2021 election by well over 10,000 votes.

On Monday, Trudeau remained defiant amid criticism from some in his own party, insisting he is not backing down.

"I am committed to doing the work of building a better Canada every single day, so I look forward to next year's Canada Day and I look forward to many more Canada Days," Trudeau said.

Trudeau spoke as part of an annual Canada Day interview with CBC News. He refused to take any questions from media at his events last week.

In the week since the byelection loss, current and former Liberal MPs have called for Trudeau to resign as leader of the party — at first privately with journalists, and now publicly.

On Friday, Liberal backbencher Wayne Long became the first Liberal caucus member to openly call for Trudeau's resignation.

"For the future of our party and for the good of our country, we need new leadership and a new direction," the New Brunswick MP wrote in an email to the whole 155-strong Liberal caucus last week.

"The voters have spoken loud and clear they want change. I agree."

The Saint John-Rothesay MP, who has spoken out against his government in the past, is not re-offering in the next election.

Joining the ranks of former caucus members calling for a new Liberal party leader is Catherine McKenna. She is the first person who served in Trudeau's cabinet to call on him to quit. 

"The Liberal Party isn't about one person. It's about the values it stands for and it's about improving the lives of Canadians," said McKenna, who served as a prominent Liberal cabinet minister under Trudeau from 2015 to 2021, in a statement to CBC News.