Trudeau Done

I’m no Canadian Poliscientician, but this seemed inevitable.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada was set to step down as Liberal Party leader on Monday morning, according to an official familiar with his plans who was not authorized to discuss them publicly. Mr. Trudeau is expected to speak soon in Ottawa.

His resignation would set off a succession battle to replace him after roughly a decade at the helm of both the party and the country. A resignation as party leader would not mean that Mr. Trudeau steps down as prime minister; he would remain in the role until he is replaced as the head of the Liberal Party, and his successor would then assume the position.

The party could pick a new leader with a grass-roots process that could take several weeks or come via a vote of parliamentary deputies.

The upheaval comes as the country is grappling with how best to deal with President-elect Donald J. Trump’s pledge to impose crippling tariffs on all imports from Canada on his first day in office. Canada and the United States are each other’s biggest trading partners.

I am to understand that elections are likely in the spring, and that they probably won’t go our direction.

This is inadvertent poetry…