Mark Carney is set to announce his leadership bid for the Liberal party in Edmonton, with support from Calgary MP George Chahal.
Chahal believes Carney has the right experience and leadership skills to tackle today’s global challenges and seize economic opportunities. It’s a big moment, especially since candidates have only about a week left to declare their intentions.
Other potential candidates like former finance minister Chrystia Freeland and cabinet minister Karina Gould are also expected to jump into the race soon. Meanwhile, some big names like Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly have decided not to run.
The new Liberal leader will need to hit the ground running, especially with an early election on the horizon after the short leadership race wraps up in March. The party has 129 candidates nominated out of 343 federal ridings, while the Conservatives lead with nearly 221.
Currently, the Liberals hold 153 seats in the House of Commons, but several prominent members have announced they won’t seek re-election. Political science professor Randy Besco pointed out that the new leader will face challenges in organizing a campaign, especially since many senior members from Trudeau’s office might not stick around.
Finding qualified folks to run a national campaign is tough, with only a handful of people in Canada who can do it. If a new leader is chosen and an election follows quickly, it’s going to be a real test for the party.
While they shouldn’t struggle to find candidates, attracting top talent might be tricky, especially with the Conservatives holding a solid lead in the polls. Latecomers to the nomination process will have less time to connect with voters and raise funds, which could be a significant hurdle for them.
