Chrystia Freeland set to launch Liberal leadership bid Sunday: source – National

A month after resigning from cabinet, former finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland is expected to launch her campaign to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this weekend, a source close to her told Global News.

According to the source, the longtime member of Parliament and former cabinet minister plans to launch her campaign on Sunday, though she plans to share her “intentions” to run on Friday.

There have been discussions for weeks since Freeland stepped down from cabinet, and even in the months prior, that she would run for the top spot of the Liberals and become Canada’s second female prime minister if she were to win.

That decision to step down renewed a fresh wave of pressure on Trudeau to resign, with at least three caucuses representing a large majority of the caucus to urge him to do so.

Freeland on Wednesday shared a post on X that she had been speaking with Liberals and was “grateful for the chance to hear from you and listen to your ideas,” adding she’d have more to say soon.

Her expected entry into the race on Sunday will come three days after former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney entered the race, setting up what will likely be a heated competition to become leader of the Liberal party — and prime minister until the next election — when the party votes on its leader on March 9.

Polling earlier this month by Ipsos for Global News found Freeland topped the list of potential leadership contenders with 29 per cent of Canadians asked who they would vote for among other potential leadership contenders naming the former minister, and 24 per cent saying they would be very or fairly likely to vote Liberal with her at the helm.

A source close to her told Global News on Thursday that she would “replace” the federal carbon price if she is elected.

— with files from Global’s Bryan Mullan.

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