Who’s backing the Liberal leadership contenders?

Mark Carney is out in front with Liberal caucus endorsements, with Chrystia Freeland a close second compared to the handful of names supporting the other candidates.
Liberal leadershi candidates
The Liberal leadership contenders: Chrystia Freeland, top left, Mark Carney, Frank Baylis, and Karina Gould.

The field of Liberal leadership candidates is starting to spread out with two front-runners emerging when it comes to big-name endorsements, but Mark Carney has more than doubled his closest competitor in MP support.

The former Bank of Canada governor is leading ex-finance minister Chrystia Freeland in both Liberal caucus and cabinet endorsements by a long stretch. Others who say they are in the running are former government House leader Karina Gould, and former MP Frank Baylis. Liberal MP Chandra Arya also submitted his paperwork by the Jan. 23 deadline, but in a Jan. 26 X post said “he was informed by the Liberal Party of Canada that I will not be permitted to enter the leadership race.” Liberal MP Jaime Battiste backed out of the race on Jan. 30, and threw his support behind Carney. On Feb. 21, the party announced the Liberal Leadership Vote Committee unanimously decided to disqualify Ruby Dhalla from the race.

Candidates had until Jan. 23 to enter the race with a $50,000 refundable deposit, and until Jan. 30 to cough up the next non-refundable $50,000. The total entrance fee is $350,000, with voting wrapping up and the winner being unveiled on March 9.

The Hill Times

Correction: This list was updated on Feb. 5, 2025, to correct that former House procedural clerk B. Thomas Hall is endorsing Carney, not Freeland.

 
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