Who’s in and who’s out of the Liberal leadership race

OTTAWA — The federal Liberals are running their first leadership race in more than a decade to replace the departing Justin Trudeau.

The deadline for registering to vote in the leadership contest passed on Jan. 27 and candidates have until Feb. 17 to submit their full entry fee of $350,000. The winner will be named on March 9.

Candidates had until Thursday to declare their intention to run and pay an initial, refundable $50,000 deposit.

Here’s a quick look at who’s in and who’s out.

Who’s in

Jaime Battiste

The Cape Breton MP and chair of the Liberal Indigenous caucus became the first Mi’kmaw lawmaker elected to Parliament in 2019. Battiste expressed interested in running on Jan. 13 and said he was putting together an exploratory committee to help him prepare a bid to become the first Indigenous prime minister.

The 46-year-old MP for Sydney-Victoria — also a champion powwow dancer and award-winning musician — grew up in Eskasoni First Nation.

Battiste said he’ll help ensure First Nations policing services have adequate funding and will convene a first ministers meeting to discuss the price on pollution if he secures the top job.

He also said he wants to put the $47.8 billion proposal announced last summer to reform the First Nations child welfare system back on the table. He said that while chiefs voted down the deal in hopes of securing something better, he thinks they might change their minds in another vote.

Frank Baylis

A former Montreal Liberal MP and businessman, the 62-year-old Baylis was the first to announce his candidacy. He posted on social media Jan. 9 that he had put forward his name and intended to make an official announcement, which he did on Jan. 15.

Baylis ran in 2015 under the Liberal banner but chose not to run again in 2019. He sold his firm Baylis Medical Company Inc. to Boston Scientific Corporation in 2022 for $1.75 billion.

Mark Carney

The former governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England held a public campaign launch in Edmonton on Jan. 16.

Liberal organizers have sought to bring the star technocrat from the world of global finance into the party fold for the past decade. Over the summer, Carney took on a role advising the party on economic issues.

Born in Fort Smith, N.W.T. and raised in Edmonton, the 59-year-old Carney has been touted by supporters as a “Northerner and a Westerner.”

He is backed by several current and former cabinet ministers, including Gary Anandasangaree, Steven Guilbeault, Patty Hajdu, Mélanie Joly, Sean Fraser and Harjit Sajjan. On Thursday, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson also endorsed Carney.

Ruby Dhalla

A late entry into the race, the former Brampton MP has been out of politics since her defeat in the 2011 federal election. The 50-year-old served for a short period in the Paul Martin government before two terms as an opposition MP.

Chrystia Freeland

The former finance minister, who has been a Liberal MP since 2013, announced her plans to run for the party leadership on Jan. 17.

She played a key role in Trudeau’s government for many years. The two had a public falling out in December and she quit cabinet when faced with being reassigned.

Freeland, who is 56 years old, was born in Peace River, Alta.

She has received political endorsements from former cabinet ministers Marie-Claude Bibeau and Randy Boissonnault, Health Minister Mark Holland, Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier, Citizens’ Services Minister Terry Beech and Liberal MPs Ben Carr, Ken McDonald, Stéphane Lauzon, Rob Oliphant and Anthony Housefather.

Karina Gould

The 37-year-old millennial is known for going head-to-head with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre in Parliament. She was first elected in 2015 and later became the first cabinet minister to have a baby while in office and take maternity leave. Within the party, she is known for getting the national child care program over the finish line.

Gould launched her campaign on Jan. 19, accompanied by Liberal MPs Lisa Hepfner and Pam Damoff.

Disqualified

Chandra Arya

Arya became the first current member of the Liberal caucus to announce his candidacy just four days after Trudeau announced his resignation. On Sunday, the MP for Nepean said the Liberal party informed him he’s out of the running to be its next leader.

Liberal party spokesman Parker Lund confirmed Arya would not be a candidate. He cited a section of the national leadership rules that state a prospective candidate can be disqualified if they are found to be “manifestly unfit for the office” of leader. Lund did not specify what led to Arya being removed from the race.

Arya — first elected in 2015 — has said he does not believe he needs to speak French to become prime minister, opposes Trudeau’s carbon pricing system and wants to abolish the monarchy. The 61-year-old was born in India and was a technology executive before entering politics.

He submitted paperwork and a refundable $50,000 deposit to enter the race last week.

Decided not to run

Cabinet ministers who chose not to enter the leadership race include Anita Anand, François-Philippe Champagne, Mélanie Joly, Dominic LeBlanc, Steven MacKinnon and Jonathan Wilkinson. Former B.C. Liberal premier Christy Clark also chose not to run.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 23, 2025.

Nick Murray and Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press