Montreal, Canada – “Sunny ways, my friends. Sunny ways.”
That’s how Justin Trudeau, smiling widely and waving to a crowd of supporters, began his 2015 victory speech, just hours after his Liberal Party secured a surprise majority in Canada’s general elections.
“This is what positive politics can do,” Trudeau said, promising to usher in “real change” after nearly 10 years of Conservative leadership under his predecessor, Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
Now, nearly a decade after he swept into power, Trudeau is stepping down as head of the Liberals.
The decision effectively ends his tenure as Canada’s prime minister amid a wave of internal dissent, opposition pressure and weak poll numbers ahead of a looming vote later this year.
“As you all know, I am a fighter, and I am not someone who backs away from a fight, particularly when a fight is as important as this one is,” Trudeau said during a news conference in Ottawa on Monday morning.
“Canadians …