What’s the Status on Contenders for Leader of the Liberal Party?

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leaves a news conference after announcing his intention to resign as Liberal leader outside Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Jan. 6, 2025. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing he intends to resign, a number of potential leadership hopefuls are currently weighing whether to jump in the race to replace him.

Since Trudeau has asked the governor general to prorogue the Parliament until March 24, which she granted, it is expected the new leader will be chosen through an accelerated leadership race.

Thus far, the only one to officially announce their intention to run for leader is businessman and former parliamentarian Frank Baylis. The former Liberal MP from 2015 to 2019 told The Hill Times that he would formally announce his candidacy once the rules around the race have been released.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly is seen during a news conference in Ottawa on Oct. 19, 2023. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne rises during question period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Oct. 5, 2023. The Canadian Press/Spencer Colby

Among elected officials, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said during a media scrum before a caucus meeting on Jan. 8 that she is still reflecting on whether she will run for leader. Joly said she is weighing factors such as her role in dealing with the incoming U.S. administration’s tariff threats and the impact on her family.

Her cabinet colleague Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne told CBC News on Jan. 6 that he is “seriously considering” running for leadership of the party.

“There’s a new beginning, and for me, it’s also a time to listen to Canadians, to colleagues, to militants of the Liberal Party of Canada,” he said. “I have my view about what I think is an ambitious and prosperous Canada. ... In politics, we tend to speak a lot; now is a time to listen.” He told reporters outside caucus on Jan. 8 he’s waiting on the rules of the race to be released and that he would reflect on the matter over the weekend.

Several potential contenders have mentioned waiting on the contest rules before putting their names forward, including Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Employment Minister Steven MacKinnon.

Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Sept. 21, 2023. The Canadian Press/Patrick Doyle

Minister of Employment Steven MacKinnon rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Dec. 5, 2024. The Canadian Press/Patrick Doyle

The Liberal Party’s national board of directors is meeting this week to set the voting date. The cost to enter the race also needs to be determined, and committees need to be struck to decide on various issues such as contestants’ campaign spending limits.

Wilkinson told reporters outside the caucus meeting that contenders likely will have to make a decision within a week about whether to run or not.

“People want to see, obviously, what the rules are, including how much money needs to be raised before they make a decision,” he said. “But this is going to be very condensed leadership race.”

MacKinnon, also speaking outside caucus, said aside from knowing the contest rules, he needs to gauge support for his bid and see who else is running.

As for the MP who started the cascade of events leading to the Liberal Party leadership race, she has remained quiet so far. Former cabinet minister Chrystia Freeland has been floated as a potential candidate, but has yet to publicly express interest. Freeland’s sudden resignation ahead of the tabling of the Fall Economic Statement on Dec. 16 set in motion growing calls from within the Liberal Party for Trudeau to resign.

Then-Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland speaks with reporters in Ottawa, on Dec. 10, 2024. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

Former B.C. premier Christy Clark makes her way to question period in the legislature following a caucus meeting before a confidence vote in Victoria, on June 29, 2017. Chad Hipolito / The Canadian Press

Outside the Ottawa political sphere, former B.C. Premier Christy Clark, who led the province from 2011 to 2017, has also expressed interest in running as leader of the Liberals. She said back in October that she had not ruled out returning to politics, as she wanted to be “part of the conversation on the future direction of the Liberal Party and of the country.” Clark has not, however, made more recent comments about her intentions.

Additionally, former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney issued a statement earlier this week and said he would be considering the decision on whether to run for party leader “closely with my family over the coming few days.”

Mark Carney, who has served as the governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, speaks at the Sustainable Finance conference, on Nov. 28, 2024. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld

One potential contender who was perceived as viable has already announced he will not run. Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc made the announcement on Jan. 8. He said he would remain focused on his job in preparing for potential tariffs from the United States. “The threat these tariffs pose to our nation’s economic well-being and to the livelihood of a countless number of Canadian families cannot be understated—and as such, it requires nothing less than my full attention,” LeBlanc said in a statement.

Some Liberal MPs said during caucus media scrums the same day that they had wanted LeBlanc to run for leader. Kevin Lamoureux told reporters that LeBlanc had been “one of the individuals I was seriously looking at,” while Ken McDonald said he was disappointed he was not running. Judy Sgro said she had been counting on LeBlanc running.