Liberal party prepares for leadership race to replace Trudeau as candidates emerge

The federal Liberals are holding their first leadership race in over ten years to replace Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation on January 6. The new leader will be chosen after a national vote on March 9. Candidates must declare by January 23. Chandra Arya and Frank Baylis have officially entered the race. Several potential candidates, including Christy Clark, Chrystia Freeland, and Mark Carney, are considering bids. François-Philippe Champagne and Jonathan Wilkinson are also weighing their options. Mélanie Joly has withdrawn from the race, citing her role as foreign affairs minister amid trade threats from the U.S. Dominic LeBlanc has also ruled out a bid, emphasizing the challenges posed by the incoming Trump administration.