Several top Liberals say they're eyeing leadership — but they're waiting to see the rules first
CBC
Top Liberal brass are meeting Thursday to try and hammer out how to run a race to find the next party leader — and Canada's next prime minister — against a ticking clock.
After a frenzy of formal and informal meetings this week following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's decision to step down, the Liberal Party's national council is gathering tonight to try and finalize how to mount a fair leadership race on a tight timeline.
As an executive member, Trudeau will be in attendance, sources told Radio-Canada.
While many MPs got their way by getting Trudeau out the door, his decision to wait until early January gives the party little runway to write the rules for a campaign, hold a leadership contest and then pivot to an increasingly inevitable spring election.
Liberal MPs who gathered in Ottawa on Wednesday for a national caucus meeting said they were keen to learn what governing rules the executive will set out, including whether cabinet ministers will have to vacate their portfolios if they want to run and what the party will do to confront foreign interference threats.
Currently, non-Canadian residents are allowed to vote in Liberal Party riding nomination and leadership contests, which have been called a "gateway" for foreign interference.
There are other details the party will need to sort out, like the entrance fee amount and when the ballots will be counted.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Employment Minister Steven MacKinnon have all said they are considering a run.
Former central banker Mark Carney has also said he's interested. Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, former B.C. premier Christy Clark and House Leader Karina Gould are said to be gathering supporters, too.
Many of the leadership "maybes" said they are waiting to see rules of the race before formally launching a bid.
MPs who gathered in Ottawa for the Wednesday caucus meeting were keen to see the rules laid out.
Toronto-area MP Rob Oliphant said he'd like to see a leader in place by the first weekend in March.
"I think we can do it and it be fast," he said on his way into the hours-long meeting.
Ottawa-area MP Yasir Naqvi stressed while the planning is hastened, integrity needs to be upheld.