The possibility of Mr. Carney’s candidacy for leadership of the LPC was first reported by the Toronto Star on Friday.
This text is a translation of an article from CTV News.
Calls for the resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau increased following the resounding resignation of Chrystia Freeland and intensified during the holidays; most Liberal MPs asked him to step down. In response to a request from regional caucus chairs, CTV News has learned that a national caucus meeting is planned for Wednesday, during which Mr. Trudeau will face his MPs for the first time since he told them that he would think about his future during the winter holidays.
Since Boxing Day, sources say Mr. Carney has made and answered dozens of calls to Liberal MPs and political organizers who are eyeing him as a potential replacement.
One source says Mr. Carney’s economic credentials are seen as beneficial in potential tariff negotiations with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and in improving the economic security of Canadians, many of whom have responded to a conservative message focused on lack of financial accessibility.
Linked to PLC for months
Rumors about Mr. Carney’s leadership aspirations and the Trudeau government’s attempts to recruit him have continued for months.
Last summer, Mr. Trudeau confirmed to reporters that he had discussed with Mr. Carney the possibility of entering federal politics, and later in September he named the former central banker as special economic adviser to the Liberal Party.
Later, in December, days before delivering the fall economic statement as finance minister and suddenly resigning, Mr. Trudeau announced to Ms. Freeland in a Friday morning Zoom call that she was losing the Finances. Instead, sources tell CTV News that Trudeau wanted her to take on a new role as government spokesperson for Canada-U.S. relations, while retaining her title as deputy prime minister. Another Liberal source says Mr. Trudeau told Ms. Freeland he would replace her with Mr. Carney.
Conservatives have also targeted Mr. Carney for months, calling him the “Carney of the carbon tax” in an attempt to link him to the Liberals’ signature climate policy.
The Conservatives maintain a lead of more than 20 points over the Liberals
As calls for Mr. Trudeau’s resignation multiply within the Liberal party, support for Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives reaches new heights, with a 26-point lead over the Liberals.
According to the latest weekly ballot tracking from Nanos Research, the federal Conservatives currently enjoy 47% of support, compared to 21% for the Liberals.
Questions about Mr. Trudeau’s future persist as opposition parties call for early elections.
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling for a vote of no confidence in the Trudeau government as soon as Parliament resumes, while NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said in a letter last month that the Liberals “ do not deserve another chance” and that his party “will present a clear motion of no confidence at the next sitting of the House of Commons”.
