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Canada’s Liberal Party to pick new leader on March 9

Jan 10, 2025 11:04 AM IST

In addition, voting will be restricted to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. In the 2013 race, which saw Justin Trudeau elected party leader, even temporary residents were allowed to vote

Toronto: The Liberal Party has officially announced that the leadership contest to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be held on March 9.

Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister (right), and Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), during the funeral service of late former US President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday. (Bloomberg)
Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister (right), and Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations (UN), during the funeral service of late former US President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday. (Bloomberg)

“After a robust and secure nation-wide process, the Liberal Party of Canada will choose a new leader on March 9, and be ready to fight and win the 2025 election,” said party president Sachit Mehra in a statement.

Those seeking to enter the contest will have to declare their participation by January 23 and submit an entrance fee of 350,000 Canadian dollars ($242,905). Those who want to vote in the race will have to register by January 27.

In addition, voting will be restricted to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. In the 2013 race, which saw Trudeau elected party leader, even temporary residents were allowed to vote.

“Protecting the integrity of our democratic process, while still engaging as many people as possible, is one of the Liberal Party of Canada’s top priorities,” a release from the party stated.

These dates and initial rules were decided upon during a meeting of the party’s National Board of Directors on Thursday evening.

Parliament currently stands prorogued till March 24, giving the new leader a fortnight to prepare to face the House of Commons, and a potential no confidence vote.

Meanwhile, former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney and former British Columbia Premier Christy Clark are expected to formally announce that they will enter the race for the leadership of the ruling Liberal Party.

The contest was necessitated by Trudeau stating on Monday his intent to resign once his successor was selected.

That decision, in itself, was precipitated by Freeland, who was also Finance Minister at the time, making public her shock resignation on December 16, leading to nearly 100 MPs from the ruling party demanding Trudeau’s exit.

Both Freeland and Carney are expected to get into the contest within days, according to the outlet news outlet Globe and Mail.

Meanwhile, Clark is also waiting for clarity on the rules before formally entering the race. “Unless the party has some crazy rules, I’m expecting we’re going to be in this and we’re going to win it,” Tyler Banham, a member of Clark’s national campaign for the race told the outlet National Post.

Only two persons have declared their intent to run but will become candidates only after the process is formalised by the party.

Indo-Canadian MP Chandra Arya, in a statement on Thursday, said, “I am running to be the next Prime Minister of Canada to lead a small, more efficient government to rebuild our nation and secure prosperity for future generations.” Businessperson and former party MP Frank Baylis has also voiced that intent.

On the other hand, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who also handles the Intergovernmental Affairs portfolio, has said he will not be in the race. In a statement on Wednesday, he explained, “I will be solely focused on the real economic threat that American tariffs represent to the Canadian economy and to Canadian workers. It is a full-time job, I’m lucky to have it.”

The rules over Cabinet Ministers being allowed to contest while they remained in office will also weigh upon the decisions of other potential contenders including Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, Transport and Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand and Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne.

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