“A tough but strong decision.”
“Put our country first.”
“His decision to withdraw from the race was in the best interest of the country.”
“A historic example of a genuine public servant.”
These are the words of a world leader, a former House Speaker, a member of the Republican party and a former president. All of them united in their praise of U.S. President Joe Biden’s decision to end his re-election bid.
They could almost convince you that Biden was supremely selfless — guided only by love of country where other politicians are driven by ego and pride.
Almost.
To the intended audience, this heap of praise was a carefully co-ordinated rollout. But for Biden, it was a parachute. A lifeline. A safe landing ground. And the fact is, even despite the overwhelming pressure, he would not have done the right thing and stepped aside were it not offered to him.
Today, there is much confusion over why Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, facing similar pressure, has yet to step down.
But the reason is dead simple: he doesn’t have a parachute.
I wrote in this space, regarding Biden’s exit, that it was the job of political advisers to speak truth to power. To strip away the illusions of a miraculous comeback. The same thinking applies in this case. But to be effective, that truth must be packaged and presented in the right way.
If members of Trudeau’s inner circle are to convince him to step down, they don’t just need to create that parachute — they need to make him trust that when he pulls the rip cord, it will actually open.
To do this, there are three key steps his advisers must follow.
First, they need to find their Nancy Pelosi.
No new disastrous byelection defeat, no sobering poll or scathing editorial will crack through Trudeau’s stubborn resolve. There is no new logic that will magically do the job. Trudeau and his enablers are past this point.
What they need is a credible messenger to deliver that logic.
By many accounts, it was the former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who delivered the final push for Biden to exit. Apparently, as a result, they’re no longer on speaking terms.
A bitter pill requires someone with both the authority and credibility to administer it. Trudeau’s team must search high and low for their “Canadian Nancy Pelosi,” someone who can convince him to swallow that hard truth. Maybe someone with his best interests at heart — or at least, someone whose voice carries enough weight that Trudeau will finally listen.
Second, they must convince him that stepping down can be framed as an act of selflessness.
The reason Biden needed to step down was because of Biden. His performance, his polls, his reputation — all of it.
The same is true for Trudeau.
But advisers cannot build their case solely on cold, often humiliating, facts. They must try to separate the personal narrative from the political reality. Instead, they need to offer a storyline that paints Trudeau’s exit as a necessary sacrifice for the greater good — an honourable and strategic move to secure his legacy.
Third, his advisers can underline a concept that he will surely be familiar with: generational change. Just as he inherited a Liberal party on the brink of extinction and reinvigorated it with new energy, ideas, and imagery over a decade ago, the time has once again come for new voices.
Positioning this as the torch being passed, they can make the case that Liberalism will be best carried forward by renewal. And that willingness to embrace change is ironically the only way to protect the achievements that he carries most proudly.
The fundamental point about these steps is that they don’t need to be convincing to anyone other than one man.
Trudeau must believe this is the best path forward, not only for his legacy but for his party’s survival. In the end, it’s not about public opinion or pressure — it’s about the ability for his team to craft a narrative he can live with.
And if they can build an enticing narrative and sell it to Trudeau, he will do what he needs to — leave.