Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland claimed Friday that the prime minister still has the support of the vast majority of his caucus, just days before Justin Trudeau must face his critics in person when MPs return to Parliament Hill next week.

A factional protest that stalled in July has evolved into a more targeted effort, with some members of the prime minister’s backbench expected to present an official demand for his resignation within days.

There was an earlier expectation that the request would first be received in writing this weekend, followed by an open microphone session at the party’s caucus meeting in Ottawa on Wednesday.

But a public confirmation that four more Cabinet ministers will not run again – leaving coveted Cabinet posts vacant – appears to have cooled the momentum, three MPs told The Globe and Mail on Friday, and talks about next steps continue.

The Globe reported this week that at least 20 MPs had agreed to give their names in an attempt to oust Mr. Trudeau. But there is still uncertainty about how many will actually speak to the prime minister in person, and there is no consensus in his office about how serious the threat is.

Ms. Freeland told reporters in Winnipeg on Friday that Mr. Trudeau still has her support. She believes that those who think differently are in the minority.

“Of course, in our caucus, like any other caucus, there will be a wide range of opinions,” Ms. Freeland said. “I am absolutely confident that the vast majority of our group members support the Prime Minister.”

This week, PEI Liberal MP Sean Casey told The Globe it’s not a small group.

Still, he said he had “no sense of whether it’s a quarter, a third or half” of Liberal MPs. Mr. Casey is one of three MPs who have publicly called on Mr. Trudeau to resign from office. The others are Wayne Long of New Brunswick and Alexandra Mendès of Quebec.

Six MPs told The Globe last week that they would not sign a letter to remove Mr Trudeau, but that does not mean he should remain in office – a sentiment widely shared by all of them in the caucus.

The Globe is not naming the lawmakers so they can speak out without fear of repercussions.

The prime minister made a phone call this week to have a one-on-one meeting with his MPs ahead of next week’s caucus meeting, but a senior government official said the focus now is on preparing the Liberals’ election campaign. The official pointed to last weekend’s announcement of a new campaign manager and the prime minister’s performance at the foreign interference inquiry as points of evidence. They said the statement was intended to make it clear to people that Mr. Trudeau is not thinking of leaving.

The Globe is not identifying the official because he was not authorized to disclose the private discussion.

Northern Affairs Minister Dan Vandal – one of four Cabinet ministers not running again – said on Friday there was still time to change things.

“I’m very confident that the polls will tighten over time and I think it would be foolish to vote against the Liberal Party,” he said at the event with Ms Freeland.

There are MPs who have spoken to The Globe who say it is the well-being of the Liberal Party itself that they care about, and they fear it will be politically wiped out with Mr. Trudeau at the helm. But they say there is no guarantee that a new leader would make a difference and there is no consensus about who that leader should be.

One of the potential candidates, former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney, was asked in a podcast released Friday whether he would be willing to put his name on a ballot at some point.

“I’m taking steps to support that, to support the party, because I believe in the party. I believe in the Liberal Party. I think it has the right values,” Carney told host Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith, adding: “Look, the opportunity might present itself. This is what I can do now, and I’m doing it to the best of my ability.”

Others describe Mr. Trudeau’s desire to resign as not only good for the party but also necessary for the country.

Eddie Goldenberg, the chief of staff to former Liberal premier Jean Chrétien, argued in an essay published Friday that with the rise of the Parti Québécois in Quebec, a crisis of national unity is on the horizon that someone will have to solve.

He called on the Prime Minister not to run again. If Mr. Trudeau loses the next election, he will have no influence or influence to play that role, Mr. Goldenberg wrote.

“An undefeated Justin Trudeau could well be the difference between saving Canada and destroying Canada. This is an important reason for Mr. Trudeau to retire now before it is too late.”

With a report by Bill Curry