Liberal caucus more focused on getting re-elected in a snap election than on who makes cabinet, say MPs
With a cabinet swearing-in expected by Friday, and sources reporting a snap election call coming next week, Liberal MPs tell The Hill Times most people in caucus are focused on getting re-elected rather than securing a spot in Leader Mark Carney’s front bench. If their party remains in government, a new cabinet would be appointed post-election, say the MPs.
A top government source told The Hill Times that Carney and his new cabinet are likely to be sworn in by Friday, though the timeline remains fluid and could change. Three Liberal MPs, speaking on a not-for-attribution basis, told The Hill Times that while a date wasn’t disclosed at the March 10 caucus meeting, it was their impression that the transition would happen this week. They said Carney would first be sworn in as prime minister, and then reveal his senior team.
“MPs are asking their supporters and colleagues: ‘Have you finalized the campaign office?’” said one Liberal MP, speaking on a not-for-attribution basis to share their candid views. “Their minds are not what your [media] minds are on. [Media is focused on] Which day is transition? MPs are thinking about campaign offices.”
Before MPs returned to Ottawa for the Liberal caucus meeting and preceding leadership result announcement, “we were driving around in our ridings looking for campaign offices. We’re more concerned about getting ready for the election,” the source said. Four other Liberal MPs who spoke with The Hill Times shared that assessment.
Key members of Carney’s team playing significant roles in the transition include Janice Charette, former PCO clerk; David Lametti, former justice minister; Gerald Butts, former PMO principal secretary; Liberal MP Marco Mendicino (Eglinton-Lawrence, Ont.), who Carney named in his caucus remarks as his chief of staff; and Braeden Caley, a senior adviser to Carney and a former senior ministerial and party staffer.
The Hill Times reached out to Caley for a comment but did not hear back by publication.
Liberal sources said that the new cabinet is expected to be smaller than the current 37 members.
During the March 10 afternoon national caucus meeting, Carney did not specify the exact date for the transition but hinted that members should be prepared for an election call in the coming days—likely next week by March 23 ahead of Parliament’s scheduled return on March 24.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (Papineau, Que.) did not attend this caucus meeting, but MPs were joined by Liberal campaign director Andrew Bevan, deputy campaign director Marjorie Michel, and party president Sachit Mehra who briefed the caucus on the party’s election readiness plans.
Carney courts high-profile candidates
Meanwhile, the federal Liberals are actively recruiting star candidates for the next election. One candidate who has publicly expressed interest is former British Columbia premier Christy Clark. Senior Liberal sources said that they’re also interested in Clark’s potential candidacy.
“There is a chance that I would do that,” Clark said in an interview with CTV News Channel’s Power Play on March 3. “I mean, I want to fight for this party because this party is the party that is going to really defend our country. We have to defeat Pierre Poilievre in the election.”
Clark explored a run for leadership, but opted out of the race, citing her lack of fluency in French. Her decision also came after facing questions about her brief stint as a member of the Conservative Party, which she erroneously denied in an interview with the CBC.
If Clark decides to run, party officials are considering three potential B.C. ridings for her: Fleetwood-Port Kells, Vancouver Quadra, and Vancouver South. These Liberal-held ridings have become available with incumbents Ken Hardie, Joyce Murray, and Harjit Sajjan, respectively, saying they would not run again.
Given Clark’s high profile, senior Liberals are particularly keen to have her run in Fleetwood-Port Kells, as the other two ridings are considered safe Liberal seats. The Liberals comfortably won the riding—which encompasses parts of Surrey and Greater Vancouver—in the last three elections. It was previously held by Conservative Nina Grewal from 2004 to 2015.
In a text message to The Hill Times, Clark said she has not yet made a final decision on whether she will run in the next federal election. However, Clark emphasized she is committed to helping as many Liberal candidates as possible secure victory.
“I am very keen to help elect as many Liberals as I can in this upcoming election,” said Clark. “Seeking a seat myself is one possible way to do that. But I haven’t yet made a decision about whether I will seek a seat in the House. Whether or not I run, I will be devoting myself, in this upcoming campaign, to electing Liberal candidates and defeating the Poilievre Conservatives.”
Sources told The Hill Times that in addition to star candidates from the Liberal side, Team Carney has also approached some high-profile Conservatives for senior roles in his administration, including former Quebec premier Jean Charest, who has declined. A federal Conservative, Charest previously served as a Progressive Conservative cabinet minister in then-prime minister Brian Mulroney’s government. It remains unclear what specific position was offered to him. Charest ran unsuccessfully against Poilievre (Carleton, Ont.) in the last Conservative leadership election.
CBC/Radio-Canada first reported on Carney’s team reaching out to Charest for a role in his government.
“The nature of the position is unknown,” Radio-Canada reported yesterday. “But according to sources with knowledge of the discussion, Charest has no intention of becoming a minister.”
Until Trudeau’s exit plans were announced in early January, the Liberals were trailing the Conservatives by more than 20 points. However, due in part to the trade war with the United States triggered by President Donald Trump, the Liberals have rebounded and are now either running neck-and-neck with the Conservatives or leading by five points in national polls.
An Ekos poll released last week suggested that if an election were held today, the Liberals would win a majority government. The rolling poll, conducted between Feb. 27 and March 5, with a sample of approximately 2,000 respondents, showed the Liberals at 40.7 per cent support, followed by the Conservatives at 35.5 per cent, the NDP at 12.8 per cent, and the Greens at 3.2 per cent.
A Nanos poll released this week suggested that if the next election were held today, the Conservatives would secure 35.7 per cent of the vote, while the Liberals would receive 34.7 per cent. The poll also showed the NDP at 14.9 per cent, the Bloc Québécois at 7.9 per cent, the Greens at 3.8 per cent, and the People’s Party of Canada at 2.1 per cent.
Liberals must showcase Carney’s leadership, says Lametti
In an interview with The Hill Times, Lametti declined to comment on his role in the transition team or any potential position in the Carney administration. However, he said that Carney is well-equipped to handle the Trump administration’s aggressive stance on trade issues with Canada. He pointed to Carney’s experience in managing the 2008 financial crisis as then-governor of the Bank of Canada, and overseeing Brexit as the governor of the Bank of England. Lametti said these experiences would aid Carney in navigating the trade war with the U.S..
“He commands respect because of his past, because of his intellect, because of his capacities, because of his track record dealing with crises,” said Lametti. “He commands respect that will be primordial in dealing with the United States and other countries. He also has the ability to rally allies around the world.”
Lametti said the Liberal Party has bounced back in the polls but that members are not taking anything for granted, and it’s clear to them they need to put in a lot of hard work to earn back Canadians’ support.
“They’re great numbers, but they don’t mean anything until a general election,” said Lametti. “We have to continue working, we have to continue showing what kinds of policy ideas we have. We have to continue showcasing Mark Carney’s leadership in order to move forward.”
Liberal MP George Chahal (Calgary Skyview, Alta.) echoed the same view.
“It shows that our [incoming] new prime minister has brought forward a plan that’s connected all Canadians from coast to coast,” said Chahal. “Members of the Liberal Party [are now] re-energized and revitalized because they see strong leadership in [soon-to-be] prime minister Carney.”
Liberal MP Parm Bains (Steveston–Richmond East, B.C.) said Carney is resonating with Canadians who view him as a leader capable of handling the Trump administration, as and best suited to represent and advance Canada’s trade interests.
“Canadians want someone credible that can take on the new challenge that we have,” said Bains. “We’ve had a trusted relationship with the [U.S.] for 100 years, and it may have been taken for granted in a way. Now we’re in a position for how can we diversify, how can we break down barriers across the provinces, and find and have that leadership to not only do that within the country, but globally.”
arana@hilltimes.com
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