Explainer: The 5 candidates running for Liberal Party leadership

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Canada’s next Prime Minister is set to be chosen from one of the five candidates running for Liberal Party leadership, with an election scheduled for party members on March 9. 

On the ballot is former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney, former deputy prime minister and minister of finance Chrystia Freeland, and former government house leader and current Liberal MP Karina Gould. 

Former Liberal MPs Frank Baylis and Ruby Dhalla are also in the running for party leadership. Jaime Battiste — Canada’s first Mi’kmaq MP — was set to be on the ticket until he withdrew from the race at the start of this month and endorsed Mark Carney. 

In late January, the Liberal Party announced nearly 400,000 people had registered as Liberals ahead of the vote. 

To register to vote in the leadership election, the party states that a person must be at least 14 years of age. They must also be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or have status under the Indian Act — as well as be a registered Liberal Party member at least 41 days before the March 9 election date. 

Eligible members will have to go through “strict” identity verification before voting to confirm their eligibility and are subject to a fine of up to $10,000 for misrepresentation in the process. 

The Liberal Party leadership candidates were required to submit their nomination packages no later than Jan. 23, signed by at least 300 registered Liberal Party members including 100 each from three different provinces or territories. 

Of the candidates, the two favoured to win and have the highest endorsement by their colleagues are Carney and Freeland. 

Carney announced his candidacy for Liberal leadership on Jan. 16. He has long been speculated to enter politics stemming from his financial background and experience in crisis management. 

In an address earlier this month, Carney discussed his platform, which will remove the consumer carbon tax and focus the economy on policies that address climate change. 

CTV News also reported that Carney said he will “leverage” Canada’s position as the biggest customer and supplier of goods to the United States in the face of an impending trade war. 

Formerly a journalist, Freeland has held multiple positions while in office, including foreign minister, finance minister and deputy prime minister. She resigned from her position in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet in December, citing differences on how to deal with incoming U.S. tariffs and fiscal policies.

Freeland’s platform includes cutting taxes on income and new housing, addressing high grocery costs by limiting profit margins on “essential” items such as eggs and milk, capping credit card interest rates at 15 per cent, and building more child-care places. 

To learn more about the upcoming election and candidates, visit www.bit.ly/4hJqNMK.