Mark Carney Shows Interest in Liberal Leadership
Former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney is considering running for the leadership of the Liberals as the party seeks a replacement for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Carney released a statement this week stating his deliberation on running for the position. He mentioned, “I’ll be discussing this decision closely with my family in the coming days,” and expressed gratitude for the support he has received.
He emphasized that Liberal members and supporters have urged him to push for positive change and a strong economic strategy to defeat Pierre Poilievre, steer Canada in the right direction, and create a powerful economy that benefits all Canadians.
Rumors about Carney’s interest in the Liberal leadership have circulated for some time, with many considering him a potential candidate.
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Carney, currently serving as the chairman of Brookfield Asset Management, previously led the Bank of England.
Former Liberal MP Frank Baylis is the sole individual to have publicly declared his intent to run for Liberal leadership following Trudeau’s resignation on Jan. 6. Trudeau plans to remain as prime minister and Liberal leader until a successor is chosen.
Trudeau also announced that Governor General Mary Simon has suspended all House of Commons activities until March 24 at his request.
This gives the Liberal Party a short window of 10 weeks to select a new leader. The government risks collapsing in the earliest confidence vote if the three opposition parties—the Conservative, NDP, and Bloc Québécois—follow through on their intention to vote no-confidence in the Liberal administration.
Possible Candidates
Although no sitting MPs have formally declared their candidacy, there is speculation in Ottawa about potential contenders for the leadership position.
Potential candidates include Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Transport Minister Anita Anand, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, House Leader Karina Gould, Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, and former BC Premier Christy Clark.
During his resignation announcement, Trudeau was asked about cabinet ministers running for leadership while retaining their roles, but he did not provide a clear response.
While there are no explicit rules preventing cabinet ministers from seeking the leadership, they typically resign to focus on their campaigns.
Another notable contender could be former BC Premier Christy Clark, who has expressed interest in the role in the past.
Liberal Party President Sachit Mehra confirmed that the leadership race would kick off this week.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
