Who are top contenders for Canada's next prime minister role
What's the story
Canada's Liberal Party is set to announce a new leader after Justin Trudeau's resignation.
The 53-year-old PM, who has been in power since 2015, announced in January that he would be stepping down after his popularity plummeted as food and housing costs soared.
A former governor of the Bank of England is leading the race to succeed him amid economic challenges from US President Donald Trump's tariffs.
Candidate 1
Mark Carney: The frontrunner
Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney, who was also the head of Canada's central bank, is the front-runner.
His time at the Bank of Canada during its rapid recovery from the 2008 financial crisis won him much fame.
Since announcing his candidacy in January, he has been endorsed by several cabinet ministers and MPs.
Though he hasn't served in Trudeau's government, he was made chairperson for a government task force on economic growth last September.
Candidate 2
Chrystia Freeland: The former finance minister
Chrystia Freeland, former deputy PM and finance minister of Canada, was initially leading in the polls to replace Trudeau.
However, her close ties with the outgoing PM and concerns over Trump's tariffs have shifted momentum toward Carney.
Born in Alberta to a Ukrainian mother, Freeland worked as a journalist covering Russia and Ukraine before entering politics in 2013.
Candidate 3
Karina Gould: The youth advocate
37-year-old Karina Gould is the youngest woman to serve as a minister in Canada.
She has pushed for a tough stance on Trump and suggested higher corporate taxes on big companies with annual earnings exceeding CAD 500 million to promote reinvestment in business and productivity.
She was serving as house leader before she resigned from her cabinet position in January 2025 to contest for party leadership.
Candidate 4
Frank Baylis: The businessman
Frank Baylis is a businessman from Montreal.
The Liberal Party politician, who had an earlier stint with the party (2015-2019), has suggested building two pipelines to take natural gas to international markets in Europe and Asia, reducing dependence on America.
Baylis is also known for having criticized Trudeau for visiting Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in November.
Political climate
Impact of US trade war on Canadian politics
The new Liberal Party leader will likely be calling a general election soon after coming to power.
The next election will be centered on who is better equipped to deal with the US, after Trump's trade war and talks of making Canada the 51st state.
Pierre Poilievre, leader of the main opposition Conservative Party, has adopted a populist approach and vowed to put "Canada First."