Champagne and Clark bow out of federal Liberal leadership run

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne and former B.C. premier Christy Clark have both stepped away from the federal Liberal leadership run.

Champagne said at an event in Toronto on Tuesday that he will not enter the race, adding that he plans to remain focused on his current job.

“It was probably one of the most difficult decisions of my life,” he said. “There are many ways to fight for Canada.”

In a statement to her supporters, Clark said she felt she did not have sufficient time to launch a successful campaign. She also added that her French skills are not strong enough.

I want to thank the hundreds of volunteers across Canada who’ve pledged their support for me over this past week. We’ve put together an amazing team on very short notice.

But, friends, I have made the difficult decision to step back.

While we have come a long way, in a…

— Christy Clark (@christyclarkbc) January 14, 2025

Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney and finance minister Chrystia Freeland are expected to announce leadership bids within the week.

READ MORE: Liberal Mark Carney entertains crowd on ‘The Daily Show’, jokes about leadership run

Some Liberal sources say that Government House leader Karina Gould could also unveil a campaign later this week.

When asked by CHCH’s Sean Cowan at a press event on Tuesday if she will run for head of the Liberal party Gould replied, “I will have more to say in the coming days.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Transport Minister Anita Anand have all ruled out leadership runs stating that they need to focus on their current positions and work to protect Canada against possible U.S. tariffs imposed by president-elect Donald Trump.

– With files from The Canadian Press