Trudeau says he's talking to MPs about 'challenging' byelection loss, won't commit to full caucus meeting

In his first press conference since the Liberals' surprise byelection loss last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he's "engaging" with MPs individually but stopped short of committing to an in-person meeting with his entire caucus.

"Last week's byelection loss, not to sugarcoat it, was challenging, was something we need to take seriously, and we've been engaged in lots of important conversations," Trudeau said in Montréal on Wednesday. 

"I've had lots of calls with different members of caucus from across the country, not just in the GTA, to talk about how we make sure we're continuing our work connecting with Canadians, to make sure we're continuing to deliver for people."

Last week, Conservative Don Stewart won the longtime federal Liberal stronghold of Toronto-St. Paul's in a byelection. Steward took 42.1 per cent of the vote to Liberal candidate Leslie Church's 40.4 per cent. Prior to that result, conservative candidates hadn't been competitive in the riding since the 1980s.

Since that loss, Trudeau has faced a backlash from some party members. George Chahal, a Liberal MP for Calgary Skyview, informed colleagues on Friday by email that he had co-signed a letter to Liberal national caucus chair Brenda Shanahan requesting an in-person meeting in Ottawa.

Chahal said eight other MPs co-signed the letter. He said he would leave it to them to identify themselves.

Trudeau said he is giving MPs the opportunity to speak with him individually about their concerns but sidestepped questions about holding a full, in-person caucus meeting.

Trudeau argued Wednesday that he is the right leader to fight back against rising populism in Canada and elsewhere.

"There is a challenge faced by democracies all around the world right now, whether we look at what's going on in France, whether we look at the election in the United States," he said.

Democracies are being challenged, Trudeau said, by an "erosion of democratic principles and rights."

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

Catherine McKenna, Trudeau's former environment minister, became the first person who served in his cabinet to call on him to step down.

"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," she said in a media statement. 

"The prime minister has a legacy to be proud of, but it's time for new ideas, new energy and a new leader."