Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on December 15, 2021. Photo: VCG

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to announce as early as Monday that he will resign as Liberal Party Leader, The Globe and Mail reported on Sunday, citing three sources.

The sources told the Globe and Mail that they don't know definitely when Trudeau will announce his plans to leave but said they expect it will happen before a key national caucus meeting on Wednesday, according to a Reuters report.

The Canadian prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside regular business hours, Reuters said. It remains unclear whether Trudeau will leave immediately or stay on as prime minister until a new leader is selected, the report added. 

The news comes as Trudeau's popularity continues to dwindle in Canada, which is expecting a national election on October 20 of this year. According to Canadian pollster Angus Reid, Trudeau has a disapproval rate of around 68 percent as of December 24, 2024, with a meager 28 percent of Canadians supporting him, Fox News reported.

Canada's several ministers in recent months have either left their cabinet positions, or have announced they are not seeking re-election, according to CTV News in December 2024.

During Trudeau's administration, the relationship between China and Canada has been relatively strained. In a recent development, according to a statement published on the website of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in December 2024, China has decided to impose countermeasures against two Canadian organizations and 20 personnel associated with these organizations in accordance with the Anti-Foreign Sanctions Law.

The countermeasures include freezing all movable and immovable property and other types of assets of the two Canadian organizations "Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project" and "Canada Tibet Committee" within China's territory and prohibiting organizations and individuals within China's territory from engaging in any transactions or cooperation with them.

Global Times