Karina Gould set to enter Liberal leadership race: source

Government House Leader Karina Gould is set to enter the Liberal leadership race, a source close to her confirmed to Global News.

Gould, who has served as leader of the Government in the House of Commons since 2023, said on Tuesday, when asked if she plans to run for leadership, that she would have “more to say in the coming days.”

The 37-year-old MP for Burlington has served in government since 2015 when she was one of the many newly-elected Liberals when the party was swept into power with a majority.

Prior to being the government’s House leader, Gould served in several ministries including as President of the Queen’s Privy Council, Minister of Democratic Institutions, Minister of International Development and Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

Current Ontario Liberal MP backbencher Chandra Arya and former Montreal MP and businessman Frank Baylis are also running.

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Candidates start to throw in their hats for Liberal party leadership race

However, there is speculation the three could soon be joined by former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney and former finance minister Chrystia Freeland in the coming days.

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Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne is expected to reveal his intentions also on Tuesday. Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has also signalled he is considering running, though has made no announcement.

Nova Scotia MP Jaime Battiste has said he’s also contemplating a run and would be the first Indigenous prime minister were he to run and win the leadership.

Several cabinet ministers have also signalled they won’t be running for the role, with Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon and Transport Minister Anita Anand all bowing out in the past week.

Former B.C. premier Christy Clark also announced Tuesday she would not be running, saying there “is simply not enough time to mount a successful campaign.”

The leadership rules were announced last Thursday, setting out the guidelines for what will be a race to determine not only the Liberals’ leader but who will sit as prime minister until the next election.

The rules require party members to enter their name by Jan. 23, with an entry fee of $350,000.

For people to vote they must become a member or registered supporter, with the cutoff date to become one and be eligible to vote set for Jan. 27.

The decision on who will lead the party and the country is March 9.

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