Liberal election campaign director resigns

Jeremy Broadhurst told Justin Trudeau of election doubts

- ALTHIA RAJ

OTTAWA Jeremy Broadhurst confirmed Thursday he is stepping down as the federal Liberal party’s national campaign director, after the Star reported he had privately told Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last month of his intention to resign.

The news blindsided Trudeau’s chief of staff, Katie Telford. According to one individual who spoke on condition of anonymity, Broadhurst told the prime minister he didn’t think Trudeau could win the next election and that Broadhurst should be replaced with someone who felt Trudeau could win a fourth term.

Another Liberal said Broadhurst told Trudeau he didn’t have the fight in him to continue. A third suggested Broadhurst might just have needed additional help at Liberal party headquarters to turn things around. The news was so closely guarded that many senior staff and caucus were kept in the dark.

Broadhurst had avoided all calls and messages requesting comment for the past seven days. Telford told the Star “your sources aren’t good” but did not deny the story, given multiple chances. The party’s national director, Azam Ishmael, told the Star last Friday that Broadhurst hadn’t quit but would not say whether Broadhurst had tried to quit, or would be leaving. “I’ve got nothing to add from above.” It wasn’t clear whether Ishmael was aware of the news, and he avoided all further calls. Telford deferred to Ishmael’s response.