Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre says the country is watching the federal government “spiral out of control.”

Poilievre told reporters in Ottawa that the news came mere hours before Freeland was to deliver a fall economic update.

“That (update) was expected to smash through her already massive deficit targets, she announced she no longer has confidence in the Prime Minister.” He says “Canadians were already anxious about the reckless $40 billion deficit the government announced last spring. But today, in mere hours, they’re expected to learn that it was much higher than that, threatening our social programs and our fiscal stability right in the middle of a potential trade war.”

Poilievre says Trudeau must call an election and let Canadians decide who should run the country.

“Eighty per cent of Canadians have lost confidence in this prime minister, so why is Jagmeet Singh making the entire country wait for him to get his pension? That is the question today.”

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh meanwhile issued a release saying the “withering resignation of Trudeau’s right-hand minister shows just how deeply this Liberal governments members are obsessed with infighting, and ignoring the urgent challenges everyday Canadians are coping with.”

He later told reporters “we’ve got the threat of Donald Trump and 25% tariffs that mean hundreds of thousands of jobs are at risk. Because of that, I’m saying very clearly that Justin Trudeau has to resign. All options on the table,” Singh said.