Mark Carney Launches Liberal Leadership Bid from Alberta
Mark Carney officially kicks off his Liberal leadership campaign in Edmonton, marking a significant moment in Canadian politics
Mark Carney, Liberal Party, Edmonton, Canada, Chrystia Freeland, Justin Trudeau
Edmonton: So, Mark Carney is finally making his move! He’s launching his Liberal leadership campaign today, and it’s been a long time coming. For nearly ten years, folks have been wondering if he’d jump into politics.
He’s not alone, though. Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland and House leader Karina Gould are also gearing up to enter the race soon. The deadline to declare is January 23, and it’ll cost candidates a hefty $350,000 to get in.
The Liberals are set to pick their new leader on March 9, which will mark the end of the Trudeau era. Carney, who used to be the Bank of Canada governor, is trying to position himself as an outsider. He wants to distance himself from the current government, which isn’t exactly winning any popularity contests.
Meanwhile, Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives are ready to pounce. They’ll likely try to link Carney to Trudeau’s unpopular policies, especially his support for carbon pricing. Poilievre has been calling him “carbon tax Carney” for a while now, so it’ll be interesting to see how Carney handles that in the campaign.
In a recent chat on “The Daily Show,” Carney was asked if he’s stuck with the “carbon tax bag.” He said Canada needs to tackle climate change without making Canadians pay too much, but he didn’t really take a firm stance.
Carney’s been in the spotlight for years, with everyone speculating about his interest in leading the Liberals. He passed on running in 2013 when Trudeau took the reins and led the party to a majority in 2015.
Starting his campaign in Edmonton is a smart move. It lets him show off his Alberta roots, which could resonate with voters. He’s an Oilers fan and even delivered newspapers as a kid, so he’s got some local cred.
Alberta is shaping up to be a battleground for Carney and Freeland, who also has ties to the province. While many conservative voters might not back the Liberals, Alberta is still a key area for leadership candidates looking for support.
Each of Canada’s 343 federal ridings counts for 100 points in the leadership race, so every vote matters. Former Liberal leadership candidate Martha Hall Findlay pointed out that Alberta ridings could play a big role in deciding the winner. It’s going to be fascinating to see how both Carney and Freeland play up their Alberta connections.
This news was first reported by The Canadian Press on January 16, 2025.