On January 6, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that he would be stepping down as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. It had been coming. Last month, then deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland resigned from cabinet with a scathing letter to the prime minister, and it felt like the moment had arrived. But, looking back over Trudeau’s nearly ten years in power, there have been many scandals, controversies, gaffes, and -gates—some that easily could have led to a resignation.

During a tense vote in Parliament, Trudeau elbowed and reportedly swore at New Democratic Party MP Ruth Ellen Brosseau. “I want to take the opportunity,” Trudeau said after being called out, “to be able to express directly to [Brosseau] my apologies for my behaviour and my actions, unreservedly.”

Canada’s conflict-of-interest and ethics commissioner found Trudeau broke several federal laws by accepting a vacation to the Aga Khan’s private island in the Bahamas,........

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