Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland confirmed she hosted a meeting with Toronto-area MPs in her backyard Wednesday to discuss the party’s surprise byelection loss and “what Canadians are telling us.”
“It was a really, really valuable opportunity for us to talk with each other, to talk about the results of the byelection, ... to talk about hearing what Canadians are telling us, and to talk about working really, really hard to do a better job of delivering for Canadians,” she told reporters on July 4.
Ms. Freeland said the meeting was led by Liberal MP John McKay, but she offered her backyard as a meeting space because “it’s in a central location.”
Ms. Freeland said the people of that riding had sent the party a message, which was that “life is really challenging right now and you, our government, need to do a better job delivering.” She said the government is committed to delivering on housing, dental care, and childcare.
Dissent in Caucus
Following the election loss, Mr. Trudeau told reporters he was listening to his caucus, but did not commit to holding an in-person meeting as several MPs had requested.
“I’m in the process of listening to the whole caucus, and not just from [members] who speak to media,” Mr. Trudeau said during a July 3 press conference. “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.”
