Ottawa, Jan 9 (NationPress) Canadian Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc has declared that he will not stand as a candidate in the forthcoming race to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the leader of the Liberals.
LeBlanc made this announcement on Wednesday, prior to a meeting of the Liberal caucus. One of the topics of discussion for the caucus will be whether members of the cabinet should resign while vying for the leadership of the Liberal Party.
The finance minister emphasized that with Canada at a pivotal moment in its relations with the United States, he prefers to concentrate on his responsibilities within the cabinet, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.
"The challenges posed by these tariffs to our nation's economic health and to the livelihoods of countless Canadian families cannot be ignored, and therefore, it necessitates my complete focus," stated LeBlanc.
On Monday, Trudeau revealed his intention to step down from the party's leadership while remaining as prime minister until a new leader is chosen through a "robust, nationwide, competitive process."
LeBlanc, a long-time ally of Trudeau, previously sought the leadership and reportedly garnered support from at least a dozen Liberal MPs. He is widely seen as a reliable individual, having handled difficult portfolios, including stepping in as Finance Minister following Freeland's resignation.
He has been instrumental in Canada's efforts to foster relations with the incoming Trump administration, accompanying Trudeau to Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in November.
Similar to Trudeau, he belongs to a prominent political family in Canada; his father was the former governor-general, MP, and Senator Romeo LeBlanc. Their familial ties span decades—LeBlanc once babysat for Trudeau during their youth and served as a pallbearer at the funeral of Trudeau's father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.
LeBlanc opted not to enter the leadership contest in 2012 when Trudeau expressed his ambitions.
