Minister Mélanie Joly has chosen her side. She is lining up behind Mark Carney in the race for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada (PLC), - has learned. Strategic Quebec support for the former central banker.
According to our information, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will make the announcement on Sunday in a written statement.
The development comes on the same day that former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland will deliver the first speech of her campaign to become Liberal leader. Its launch is scheduled for midday during an event in his Toronto riding.
A source close to Mélanie Joly underlines that the return of Donald Trump was decisive in the choice of the minister. She believes that the former governor of the Bank of Canada and that of England is best equipped to face the threat of a trade dispute with the United States.
This source highlights Mark Carney’s experience during the 2008 financial crisis, but also in managing the economic challenges linked to Brexit in England.
As for the timing of announcing her support, the Minister of Foreign Affairs wanted to do so before the swearing-in of Donald Trump scheduled for Monday in Washington.
In Mélanie Joly’s entourage, there are doubts about Chrystia Freeland’s ability to sufficiently distance herself from the legacy of Justin Trudeau, she who was his Minister of Finance for more than four years.
Mark Carney’s promise to tighten the management of public finances is “fundamental” in the eyes of Mélanie Joly, according to the source close to her. At its launch last Thursday, the economist declared that the federal government has “spent too much while investing very little.”
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Mark Carney at the launch of his campaign to lead the Liberal Party of Canada in Edmonton last Thursday.
Photo: The Canadian Press / JASON FRANSON
-Organization and strategy
This support is not negligible due to Mélanie Joly’s important network within the activist base of the PLC in Quebec. The source close to the minister estimates that hundreds of volunteers and organizers will be active in support of Camp Carney.
The work on the ground will be crucial since each riding in the country will have equal weight in the choice of the next Liberal leader.
Mélanie Joly was able to develop her network within the party since she co-chaired the 2021 electoral campaign with former minister Navdeep Bains. According to our information, the latter also helps the Carney camp to mobilize activists in the greater Toronto area.
The minister intends to provide advice to Mark Carney and help him with his organization in Quebec, even if her priority will remain the Canadian-American file, underlines our source.
In terms of support, it is Chrystia Freeland who has the largest number of Liberal elected officials in her camp, around twenty so far, including ministers Mark Holland and Diane Lebouthillier.
“Chrystia Freeland has always had Quebec and French at heart,” Minister Lebouthillier wrote on the X network last Thursday. Since announcing her candidacy, Chrystia Freeland gave a first interview to a French-speaking media on Friday, which is still not the case for Mark Carney.
The former central banker obtained the public support of at least sixteen liberals, including Minister Harjit Sajjan.
The Leader of the Government in the House, Karina Gould, will also confirm that she is running for leadership of the PLCSunday, at an event in his hometown of Burlington, Ontario. MPs Chandra Arya and Jaime Battiste, as well as Quebec businessman Frank Baylis, also intend to take the plunge.
Aspirants to succeed Justin Trudeau must announce their participation in the race no later than January 23. The registration fee is $350,000. The next Liberal leader will be chosen on March 9.
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