Liberals will soon pick the next prime minister. Here’s what candidates are promising
In just under a month, the Liberal Party members will select their new leader, who will automatically become Canada’s next prime minister until the next election. The candidates vying to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on March 9 are starting to outline their visions for the country, particularly in response to the threats posed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
One of the frontrunners in the leadership race is former central banker Mark Carney. Carney’s campaign is focused on the economy, with promises to cut middle-class taxes, scrap the capital gains tax increase, increase defence spending to meet NATO targets, and boost the incomes of young Canadians. He has also pledged to cut red tape on building projects and address provincial trade barriers. Carney has emphasized the need to promote innovation and increase productivity in the construction industry to lower building costs. While Carney’s policy proposals lack specifics, he has indicated that they are backed by detailed policies that will be revealed in due course. On the issue of responding to Trump’s tariffs, Carney has vowed to stand up to the U.S. president and support retaliatory tariffs if necessary.
Chrystia Freeland, another prominent candidate in the race, has distanced herself from the Trudeau government by promising policy shifts that include scrapping the carbon tax and abandoning changes to the capital gains tax. Freeland has positioned herself as a tested negotiator to take on Trump, advocating for aggressive measures such as dollar-for-dollar retaliation on tariffs and imposing 100% tariffs on Teslas. She has proposed policies to improve the cost of living for Canadians, including income tax cuts, lowering grocery prices, and reducing credit card debt. Freeland has also outlined plans to entice Canadian doctors and nurses practising in the U.S. to return home by offering financial incentives to pay off their student loans.
Karina Gould, a younger candidate in the race, has made affordability and connecting with everyday Canadians central to her campaign. She has proposed widening eligibility for Canada’s employment insurance system and introducing a universal basic income program. Gould aims to address affordability concerns by temporarily cutting the federal sales tax, lifting the GST on children’s essentials, and offering interest-free loans to first-time homebuyers. Other policy promises include pausing consumer carbon tax increases, increasing the corporate tax rate for profitable companies, exempting supply management from trade negotiations, and empowering the Competition Bureau to investigate price gouging.
Frank Baylis is another candidate in the race who has pledged to modernize the federal government if elected. Baylis has not provided specific details on his policy proposals but has indicated a focus on innovation and efficiency in government operations.
As the Liberal leadership race heats up, Canadians are eagerly awaiting more detailed policy proposals from the candidates as they prepare to choose the next leader who will guide the country through challenging economic times and navigate the complex relationship with the United States under President Trump.
