Chrystia Freeland officially launched her campaign to lead Canada on Sunday, telling her supporters that she is the best candidate to face the elected President of the United States, Donald Trump. The former Minister of Finance has entered the race to lead the governing Liberal Party and succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation on January 6. She is considered one of the main contenders, alongside Mark Carney, a former central banker.
Freeland has vowed to fight for Canada, even considering the possibility of imposing tariffs to exert economic pressure on the United States, where Trump assumed office on Monday. In a general election likely to be held shortly after the Liberal contest, Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party and poll favorite, will face Freeland for the country's most relevant political position.
The division within the party has arisen mainly due to differences over fiscal responsibility, Freeland told reporters during the event on Sunday. Party members will elect a new leader on March 9. If Freeland wins, she would be the first woman to lead the Canadian liberals and the second to hold the position of Prime Minister in the country.
"In provinces where there is a carbon tax, there are people who do not like it, so we must listen to them and make changes," Freeland expressed. The 56-year-old politician effectively triggered Trudeau's resignation after her own public resignation in December sparked a broader revolt within the liberal block.
Her speech was interrupted multiple times by pro-Palestinian protesters, one of whom briefly unfurled a Palestinian flag on stage. Freeland has threatened to impose high tariffs on Canadian goods if they are attacked, promising retaliation "dollar for dollar" against U.S. tariffs that could harm the economy.
Before Freeland's speech, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly endorsed Carney for the party leadership. When pressed by a reporter, Joly expressed feeling "cautiously optimistic" about the ceasefire in Gaza and mentioned how heartbreaking the war had been. The liberal government of Canada has attempted to balance its stance in the conflict, supporting Israel's right to self-defense while advocating for maximum restraint to avoid civilian deaths in Gaza.
Freeland has also promised to replace the carbon tax with an alternative policy to address climate change.
