Liberals to face third test in federal byelection in British Columbia next month

By Laura Osman, The Canadian Press on November 10, 2024.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set the date for voters in Cloverdaleâ€”Langley City to pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16. MP John Aldag speaks during a press conference announcing more child care spaces will move into the $10 a Day ChildCareBC program in Surrey, B.C. on Thursday, March 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin

OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale – Langley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

The byelection in British Columbia will be a third test for the Liberals, who have already lost two long-held seats in the last several months.

The successive byelection losses and dismal poll numbers have inspired public calls from inside and outside of Trudeau’s caucus for him to resign as party leader.

Cloverdale – Langley City has swung back and forth between the Liberals and the Conservatives over the last several elections.

Former Liberal MP John Aldag announced in May he would resign his seat in the riding to run for the New Democrats in B.C., but he was defeated in the provincial election last month.

Federal Conservatives hope to retake the riding with their candidate Tamara Jansen, a former MP who previously held the seat from 2019 to 2021.