All eyes are on Canada’s ruling Liberal Party, which will soon select a new leader to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday.
In January, Trudeau officially announced he would be stepping down from his role following growing pressures and dissatisfaction in his performance over the last nine years in power.
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Since then, several politicians have stepped up to the plate, making their pitches to become the country’s next leader. Registered Liberal Party members will cast their votes on Mar. 9 by 3 p.m., and the announcement will be made around 6:30 p.m.
Here’s who’s in the running.
MARK CARNEY
Hailing from Edmonton, Carney’s work in Canadian public service can be traced back to his role as Governor of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis, where he helped guide the nation through one of the most turbulent economic time periods in modern history.
His work as an economist continued in 2013 after being recruited to lead the Bank of England, steering the United Kingdom’s economy through Brexit and the economic and political crises that followed.
A few years later in 2019, he served as the UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance, helping to build stronger economies worldwide amid rapid climate change.
Recognized as a front-runner in the race to Prime Minister, data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute already finds that 43 per cent of Canadians say he would be best to face off against the U.S. President Donald Trump – rather than Conservative leader Pierre Pollievre – during the current tariff wars.
Should Carney win the Liberal leadership race, he would become the first person to become prime minister without ever holding elected office.
CHRYSTIA FREELAND
Freeland originates from Peace River, Alta., and started her career as a journalist, but left that behind for a seat in Parliament.
Serving as a Member of Parliament (MP) for University—Rosedale since 2015, she has had multiple roles working for Canadians. She has taken on the job of Canada’s Trade Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and in 2019, Freeland was named Deputy Prime Minister, where she helped lead Canada’s pandemic response.
In 2020, she made history as the first woman in Canada to become a Minister of Finance, and helped to spearhead Canada’s recovery from the COVID-19 recession. The Liberal Party also credits her for delivering $10-a-day childcare and affordable dental care for nine million Canadians. She resigned from that position in December 2024, citing rising tensions between her and Trudeau.
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Though her track record shows that she’d be an appropriate choice to take the reins, Angus Reid Institute’s data shows that she narrowly edges Pollievre as the trusted lead to combat Trump, with 36 per cent for Freeland to Pollievre’s 33 per cent.
During a campaign event on Mar. 5, the Liberal hopeful told supporters that if she secured a win, she’d want her rival, Carney, to join her cabinet as the Minister of Finance.
FRANK BAYLIS
Baylis is an engineer-turned-politician with roots in Montreal, Que. He served as an MP for Pierrefonds–Dollard from 2015 to 2019, where he championed equity and inclusion as a founding member of the Parliamentary Black Caucus.
In his time as an electrical engineer, Baylis revolutionized health care through life-saving medical devices, holding dozens of patents for devices used to improve the lives of people around the world. His commitment to equity also shone in his launch of non-profit For the Children (which later evolved into the Gloria Baylis Foundation, in honour of his late mother), which aimed to improve education for underprivileged youth.
KARINA GOULD
Gould is an MP for Burlington, Ont., which also happens to be her hometown.
Elected to office in 2015, she became the youngest female cabinet minister in Canadian history at 29 years old. She also became the first federal cabinet minister to have a baby while holding office in 2024.
Beginning her career as a trade and investment specialist for the Mexican Trade Commission in Toronto and later a consultant for the Migration and Development Program at the Organization of American States in Washington, D.C. In her community, she is an active member, advocating for women’s issues and affordable housing.
WHEN IS THE NEXT FEDERAL ELECTION?
Under Canada’s fixed election law, the next national vote must be held by Oct. 20, but many are anticipating an earlier date.
The new prime minister could call an election any time after being selected on Mar. 9, but an election could also be triggered in late March, when a vote of no confidence in the government is expected in Parliament. If all the opposition parties were to vote against the Liberals, Canadians could expect to head to the polls sooner rather than later.
