Canadian Transport Minister Anita Anand announced on Saturday she will not seek the Liberal Party leadership or run for re-election, joining other senior cabinet members stepping aside after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s planned departure.
“Today I am announcing that I will not be entering the race to become the next leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and will not be seeking re-election as the member of Parliament of Oakville,” Anand said in a statement.
Recent polling for Oakville also shows that it would be unlikely for Anand to keep her seat. Conservatives have 99% odds of winning both Oakville East and West as of January 12.
Anand, who has held multiple cabinet positions since entering politics in 2019, said she plans to return to academe, where she worked as a law professor at the University of Toronto focusing on capital markets regulation.
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Read: Conservatives Hit Record 25-Point Lead After Trudeau Exit
“Now that the Prime Minister has made his decision to move to his next chapter, I have determined the time is right for me to do the same, and to return to my prior professional life of teaching, research and public policy analyses,” she said.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc have also declined to enter the race to replace Trudeau.
Read: Canada Finance Minister LeBlanc Won’t Seek Liberal Leadership
Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney is expected to launch his campaign next week with support from more than two dozen Liberal MPs, while former British Columbia premier Christy Clark is “very seriously” considering a bid, according to CBC Radio.
Former Montreal MP Frank Baylis and Nepean MP Chandra Arya have said they plan to run.
The party will name its new leader on March 9.
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