National

Mélanie Joly will not run for Liberal party leadership, source confirms

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 10 Jan, 2025 11:19 AM

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is bowing out of the race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader — making her the second cabinet minister to choose their current job over a chance to become prime minister.

Joly said that while she's ready to become the first female leader of the Liberal party, she's not willing to leave her cabinet posting at a "crucial time" for Canada-U. S. relations.

"The reality is, I can't do both," she told reporters on Parliament Hill on Friday morning.

I must dedicate every minute of my time and all my energy to defending the interests of Canadians. Which is exactly what I am doing and will continue to do. pic.twitter.com/NSGeA3OqVs
— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) January 10, 2025

Joly made the comments today heading into a Canada-U. S. cabinet committee meeting called to discuss retaliatory measures Ottawa is preparing in the event incoming U.S. president Donald Trump follows through on his threat to slam Canada with stiff tariffs.

"We will be ready and I'll do my job," Joly said, adding that she will be headed back to Washington next week.

Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc dashed the hopes of many of his caucus mates Wednesday by becoming the first potential cabinet aspirant to rule out a leadership bid. Judy Sgro and other Liberal MPs have asked him to change his mind, saying he would add to the race as a strong candidate.

The party leadership race is fully underway now that the party has set a date for the vote. More big-name candidates are expected to announce soon whether they intend to run or sit this one out.

Leadership hopefuls only have until Jan. 23 to declare and must pay a $350,000 fee to enter the race, which is set to conclude on March 9.

That leaves them just two weeks to make up their minds on whether to mount a campaign to replace Trudeau.

Anticipation has been building for months over whether former central banker Mark Carney, former finance minister Chrystia Freeland and former B.C. premier Christy Clark will throw their hats in the ring.

A host of other current cabinet ministers considering bids will also have to make up their minds, including Karina Gould, François-Philippe Champagne, Jonathan Wilkinson, Anita Anand and Steven MacKinnon.

Ontario Liberal MP Chandra Arya and former Montreal MP Frank Baylis are the only two candidates to officially declare they are in the race so far.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Global Affairs won't confirm reports Canadian dead in Russia was foreign fighter

Global Affairs Canada says it is aware of the death of a Canadian citizen in Russia. But the department won't confirm reports the Canadian was among four foreign fighters who had crossed into Russia to fight for Ukraine.

Global Affairs won't confirm reports Canadian dead in Russia was foreign fighter

Foreign affairs minister seeks support for plan to return deported Ukrainian children

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says she hopes countries from around the world will support a plan to bring back Ukrainian children who have been deported to Russia since the war in Ukraine began nearly three years ago. Joly urged more than 60 delegations attending a ministerial conference in Montreal on Wednesday to make a “strong pledge” to ensure children and other Ukrainian civilians are returned home.

Foreign affairs minister seeks support for plan to return deported Ukrainian children

Liberals look to move past leadership drama with eye on next campaign

Longtime Liberal operative Andrew Bevan was named the new national campaign director two weeks ago and made his first presentation to the full caucus during the weekly meeting. The next election must be held by Oct. 20, 2025, but it could come much sooner. The Conservatives and Bloc Québécois have pledged to try to bring down the minority government this fall.

Liberals look to move past leadership drama with eye on next campaign

PM says he's trying to get Poilievre names of Tories linked to foreign interference

Earlier this month, Trudeau told a public inquiry that he has been given the names of past and present Conservative parliamentarians and candidates who are linked to foreign interference. Trudeau said members from other parties, including the Liberals, have also been flagged.

PM says he's trying to get Poilievre names of Tories linked to foreign interference

B.C. judge halts the medically assisted death of Alberta woman

A British Columbia judge has granted an injunction stopping a woman's medically assisted death, the day before it was scheduled to take place in Vancouver. The injunction granted on Saturday to the woman's common-law partner prevents Dr. Ellen Wiebe or any other medical professional from helping end the life of the 53-year-old Alberta woman within 30 days.

B.C. judge halts the medically assisted death of Alberta woman

Drug-trafficking investigation leads to charges against 19 people in northern B.C.

Federal prosecutors have approved charges against 19 people, eight of them still at large, after an investigation into what police call a violent drug trafficking network in northeastern British Columbia. A statement from B.C.'s Combined Special Forces Enforcement Unit says two of the 11 people who were arrested remain in custody, while the others have been released with conditions as they move through the judicial process.