Health minister ‘not worried’ as Liberal MPs gather after tumultuous summer

Health Minister Mark Holland says he isn’t worried about Liberal electoral fortunes despite a tumultuous summer in which his party suffered a devastating byelection loss in Toronto, the party’s national campaign director resigned and the Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence agreement collapsed.

Holland made the remarks as Liberal MPs gather in Nanaimo, B.C. for their annual caucus retreat.

“Look, things go up, things go down,” Holland said in an interview with CTV chief political correspondent Vassy Kapelos.

“This will be my eighth federal election. You learn to not get too invested in these ups and downs. You stay focused on what you were elected to do, and we were elected to serve Canadians and get things done,” said Holland, highlighting government action he is spearheading on dental care and pharmacare.

While Holland may be at ease, not all his caucus colleagues appear to share that view.

Ontario Liberal MP Julie Dzerowicz told CTV News this weekend that she thinks her caucus colleagues are concerned about the state of play.

“I think we’re worried, and I don’t think that’s a secret,” said Dzerowicz. “I think anybody looking at the polls should be worried. Our national director has also resigned.”

Quebec Liberal MP Alexandra Mendès told CTV News in an interview Monday that while she believes Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is the right leader for the party, the “overwhelming message” from many of her constituents this summer was it’s time for Trudeau to go.

“It’s really all about the leadership, but without pinpointing a specific reason … it’s more the general feeling of maybe leader fatigue,” said Mendès. “The polls are saying it … I’m not saying anything new.”

In many public opinion polls, the Liberals have trailed Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives by ten points or more for the entirety of 2024. The latest survey from Nanos Research puts the gap at 13 points.

“If you’re focused on polls, then you’re missing the fact that you have an opportunity to be getting things done and to govern, and that’s what my focus has been,” said Holland, before pivoting to criticism of Poilievre and the Conservatives.

“These are difficult times… people are concerned about the state of the world,” said Holland. “What Mr. Poilievre has done is lean into that. Pressed into the pain. Made people feel more uncomfortable. And he’s good at that. But that’s not choosing the direction of a country.”

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s decision to “rip up” his party’s supply-and-confidence agreement with the Liberals has raised the odds the next federal election could happen sooner than October of next year.

When pressed on whether Prime Minister Justin Trudeau may seek to prorogue Parliament to avoid a confidence vote that could bring down his government, Holland said he was focused on his portfolio.

“I don’t have any thoughts on it because I have never thought about it,” said Holland.

Longtime Liberal Jeremy Broadhurst, who has held senior positions both within the party and the government, announced last week that he was quitting as the party’s national campaign director to focus on his family.