Alternatively, Trudeau could choose to step down and ask the party to appoint an interim leader to helm the Liberals into the next election. But that has its own risks: The party would be asking people to vote for it without knowing the identity of the permanent leader.

Calls are growing from within the Liberal caucus for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down as party leader — and some have pegged Chrystia Freeland as their choice to replace him.Twenty-one Liberal MPs have publicly urged Trudeau to resign — many of them within the last week — after Freeland shocked Canadians on Monday by resigning as deputy prime minister and finance minister hours before she was supposed to table the government's fall economic statement.

The pressure comes after a turbulent week for Trudeau, including the resignation of  Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland over spending disagreements and a declaration by opposition parties to unite and bring down his minority government.

A large section of ruling party MPs, nearly half of the full contingent of 153, are now seeking an early resignation from Trudeau so that a new leader can be elected in time for the next Federal elect