Mélanie Joly Image credit Twitter handle of Mélanie Joly
Ottawa/CMEDIA: Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has reportedly said that she won’t seek the Liberal leadership arguing her role in cabinet is too important during an especially charged moment in Canada-U.S. relations.
She joins Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc as the second cabinet minister to back off a leadership run citing Canada’s relationship with the U.S.
Citing battles within the Liberal party, the Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation on Monday.
Preparing to pick a new leader by Mar 9, the Liberals are asking anyone looking to run must announce their candidacy by Jan 23 and pay an entrance fee of $350,000, a significant jump from the previous fee of $75,000.
“I decided to put my country first,” Joly said Friday, on her way into a special cabinet meeting focused on how to handle the incoming White House administration.
Speaking to reporters, Joly said two questions weighed on her mind as she made her decision.
“The first one is: Am I ready to be the first woman to lead the Liberal Party of Canada? And the answer is yes,” she said.
“And am I ready, at the same time, to step away from my responsibilities as minister of Foreign Affairs at a … crucial time in the Canada-U.S. relationship? And the answer is no.”
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on Canadian goods and has suggested using “economic force” to annex Canada.
“We need to take him very seriously,” she said, adding that Canada has “leverage” to dissuade, or eventually enter, a tariff war.
According to official sources, a list of retaliatory tariffs, which has not yet been released, are likely to include U.S. steel products and ceramics, including toilets and sinks, as well as Florida orange juice.
Earlier this week, Joly was reported saying that she was reflecting on a run adding that she was well-organized and had a lot of support behind the scenes.
“To be frank, I think that our chances were really, really high,” she said Friday.
“Yes, I have an organizing base and yes, we will play a role in this leadership race,” she said
In a brief statement on X, Joly wrote that her primary focus would remain navigating the “unjustified threat” of tariffs coming from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.
“While I know I am ready to become the first woman to lead the Liberal Party of Canada, I must also recognize that the current international situation, especially unjustified threat of tariffs and other economic pressure from the President-elect of the United States, requires a firm and urgent response. This is happening now.“
Former finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland, Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Employment Minister Steven MacKinnon and Transport and Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand, are included on the shortlist of possible contenders to replace the leader.
Former central banker Mark Carney has also said he’s interested.
Supporters are also being gathered by Chrystia Freeland, Christy Clark, former B.C. premier, and Karina Gould, House Leader.
Two more people Liberal backbencher Chandra Arya and businessman Frank Baylis have said they will run.
Liberal Party is also limiting who can vote to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Previously, non-Canadian residents were allowed to vote in Liberal Party riding nomination and leadership contests, which have been called a “gateway” for foreign interference.
