Former Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced on Friday her candidacy in the competition to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the leader of the Liberal Party. Previously a close political ally of Trudeau for a decade, Freeland left her position last month, expressing discontent with his spending demands and leadership style.
The unexpected resignation sparked uproar among Liberal lawmakers already disheartened by the party's declining popularity after nine years in power, coupled with voter dissatisfaction over soaring prices and a housing crisis. Trudeau, under pressure from the mutiny, declared that he would step down once the party elects a new leader, remaining in office until the new leader is unveiled on March 9.
In a statement on X, Freeland asserted her candidacy by stating, "I'm running to fight for Canada," with plans for her official campaign launch scheduled for Sunday. With polls forecasting a tough battle for the Liberals against the opposition Conservatives, who appear poised for victory, the new leader faces a challenging path. Possible rival Mark Carney, former Bank of Canada governor, positions himself as an outsider to the government. He officially entered the race on Thursday.
Throughout her political career, Freeland held key roles like Finance Minister, where she played a pivotal role in designing the government's significant social spending initiatives to combat the pandemic. In previous roles as Foreign Minister, she successfully led the Canadian team in renegotiating trade agreements with the United States and Mexico during a tumultuous period under then-President Donald Trump's threat of dissolution.
Freeland's challenge will be establishing a distinct identity from Trudeau's, as they closely collaborated since the Liberals' ascension to power in 2015. Originating from a journalism background and having experience in prominent media outlets like Financial Times, Globe and Mail, and Reuters, Freeland transitioned to politics in 2013 and has held various ministerial positions since joining the government in 2015.