Liberal MPs, especially those who for months had called for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation both publicly and behind closed doors, have started backing two of his potential successors.
Twenty-four members of caucus have weighed in, most endorsing either former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney or former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, the presumed front-runners in the race.
Carney is expected to hold a leadership launch event in Edmonton on Thursday, while a source told CBC News that Freeland would launch her campaign Sunday in Toronto.
Fourteen MPs so far have either publicly endorsed or told CBC News they are supporting Freeland, while another nine are backing Carney.
“The party has to … rebrand, and take a step back from the prime minister,” said Wayne Long, MP for Saint John-Rothesay in New Brunswick, in an interview with CBC News.
Long was one of the earliest dissidents in caucus, asking Trudeau to step down in an email back in June 2024.
However, he said he hadn’t made up his mind about who should replace the departing prime minister until he had a more than 30–minute phone conversation with Carney on Tuesday evening.
“Mark Carney has experience guiding Canada through a financial crisis. He’s got experience guiding the U.K. through Brexit,” Long said, alluding to what he considered Carney’s strength on the economy file in his previous jobs at the central banks of both countries.
‘I feel a sense of renewed hope’
Long said Freeland, who resigned abruptly from cabinet as finance minister in mid-December, triggering the Liberals’ current leadership crisis, is too close to Trudeau to signal a change for voters.
“I feel a sense of renewed hope that we have somebody like Mark Carney to face the existential threat that our country is facing with the United States,” Sophie Chatel, the MP for Pontiac, in Quebec, told CBC News.
Chatel said she sent an email to registered Liberals in her riding asking for their feedback and spoke to her riding association before making up her mind on Sunday.
The other MPs who have already publicly indicated support for Carney are Robert Morissey from Prince Edward Island; Sameer Zuberi from Quebec; George Chahal from Alberta; Ontario’s Ali Ehsassi, Francesco Sorbara and Salma Zahid; and Patrick Weiler from British Columbia.
Freeland has garnered support from the only cabinet member who has made a public endorsement in the race so far.
Health Minister Mark Holland, who represents Ajax in Ontario, said in a statement posted on X on Wednesday that Freeland has “faced Trump. Renegotiated NAFTA. Stood up to Putin.”
Holland pointed out that he has known Freeland since 2013, when she left her job as a journalist to run in a byelection.
“Going door to door with her … gave me a lot of hope for our party,” he said.
“I ultimately believe that there’s no one in the House of Commons today … that understands the importance of trade and that has negotiated as many deals as she has,” said Kevin Lamoureux, MP for Winnipeg North, in a video posted on Instagram.
Freeland’s other public supporters so far are Rob Oliphant, James Maloney, Julie Dzerowicz, Leah Taylor Roy, Julie Dabrusin and Lloyd Longfield from Ontario; Alexandra Mendes from Quebec; Ken McDonald from Newfoundland and Labrador; Lena Diab from Nova Scotia; Ken Hardie from B.C.; Ben Carr from Manitoba; and former tourism minister Randy Boissonnault from Alberta, who left his cabinet post amid controversy surrounding questions about false claims of Métis heritage.
Most cabinet members still silent
A majority of ministers, however, have not weighed in on who they might support in a leadership bid.
Some replied to emails from CBC News stating they have not chosen a candidate yet. Some said they want to wait until contenders officially enter the race or see them campaign before they decide.
Asked at a news conference on Wednesday, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty said his focus was on the ongoing trade dispute with the incoming U.S. administration of Donald Trump.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller joked he and McGuinty would run as co-leaders, before explaining he had not made up his mind yet, either.
Liberal House leader Karina Gould, who is expected to launch a leadership campaign of her own, has one declared caucus supporter so far: Ontario MP Pam Damoff.
Ottawa-area MP Chandra Arya, former Montreal-area MP and businessman Frank Baylis and Nova Scotia MP Jaime Battiste, who have all declared they are running for leadership, have yet to collect public caucus endorsements.
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