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The long-awaited collapse of the Canadian government appears to be arriving. 

Rumors are swirling around that Justin Trudeau is hours away from resigning, although all indications are that he is working furiously to save his spot at the top of the Liberal party and isn’t giving up without a fight. 

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Cabinet members are resigning, calls for snap elections are gaining momentum, and Trudeau’s pathetic attempt to go toe-to-toe with Donald Trump has caused such a backlash that it is difficult to see how his Prime Ministership can survive. 

It may seem fanciful to think that Trudeau’s decision to go to war with Donald Trump was the trigger for his political collapse, but actually, it sure looks like it was the straw that broke the camel’s back. His Finance Minister, in explaining her resignation from the Cabinet, specifically refers to Trudeau’s relationship with Trump as one of her reasons for leaving the government.

But more than that, the spat highlights just how weak and feminized Trudeau’s leadership has been. 

Trudeau has been leader of the Liberal Party for 11 years and Prime Minister for 9, so he has had a long, if not good, run, and his resignation would not necessarily require immediate elections. Theoretically, the Liberal Party could elect a new leader and hang on for another nine months–the latest time parliamentary elections could be held, but that seems unlikely. given how shaky the coalition holding the government together is. 

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The NDP Party’s leader, Jagmeet Singh, has called on Trudeau to resign, although he seems hesitant to call for a no-confidence vote that would bring down the government. 

To give you an idea of how much confidence you should have in politicians, the speculation is that Singh is holding out for a March election because his pension will not be locked in until then. 

This, my friends, is what public “service” really means. The public serves the politicians. 

We usually think of politics in terms of the big issues that drive public debate, determine the health of the economy and society, and set the direction of a country. But the truth is that just as often as ideological differences determine outcomes, the interests of the people in power are the driving factors. 

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Justin Trudeau’s ego is one of those things. Personal relationships with Donald Trump another. Friendships developed over the years and alliances developed over decades can have as much impact as a ballooning deficit or an economic crisis. And a $2.3 million pension may mean the difference between a new government now and one in nine months, once a lot more damage is done to Canada. 

One way or another, Trudeau’s days are numbered, and I would be surprised if he were Prime Minister when Donald Trump is sworn in. He may weather today’s crisis, but there are more to come soon enough.