Freeland expected to announce Liberal leadership bid within the week: source
Former finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland is set to announce her bid for the Liberal leadership in the coming week, according to sources close to CBC News/Radio-Canada. It is expected that Freeland will make her official announcement before the inauguration of U.S. president-elect Donald Trump next Monday.
Freeland resigned from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet last month on the same day she was scheduled to deliver the government’s fall economic statement. Her resignation sparked calls for Trudeau to step down, ultimately leading to the prime minister’s announcement that he would be resigning once a new leader is chosen by the Liberals.
In her resignation letter to Trudeau, which she also shared on social media, Freeland cited her reasons for stepping down. She mentioned that she felt compelled to resign after being approached by the prime minister about moving to a different cabinet role, one that involved overseeing the Canada-U.S. relationship. Additionally, Freeland criticized Trudeau’s handling of the country’s economy, condemning what she referred to as “costly political gimmicks” and urging him to collaborate with provincial leaders to address Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canadian goods.
Trudeau addressed Freeland’s departure for the first time when he announced his own resignation. He expressed disappointment that she chose to leave her role as deputy prime minister, as he believed she was well-suited to tackle important national issues. While Trudeau did not divulge details of their private conversations, he acknowledged that Freeland’s decision was final.
As the Liberal Party prepares for its leadership race, only a few candidates have officially declared their intentions to run. Nova Scotia MP Jaime Battiste, Ontario MP Chandra Arya, and former Montreal MP Frank Baylis have all announced their bids. Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney is expected to announce his candidacy soon, while former B.C. premier Christy Clark is also contemplating a run for the leadership position.
Several cabinet ministers are still considering entering the race, including House Leader Karina Gould, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne. However, four cabinet ministers have already opted out of the race, including Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon, and Transport Minister Anita Anand, who also announced that she will not seek re-election in the next federal campaign.
Prospective candidates have until January 23 to officially join the leadership race, with the party set to announce its new leader on March 9. The Liberal Party’s leadership race is shaping up to be a highly competitive and closely watched contest, as candidates vie for the opportunity to lead the party into the future.
