New Delhi:

After nine years at the helm, Justin Trudeau has resigned as Canadian prime minister and leader of the ruling Liberal Party. The Liberals must elect a new leader ahead of the October 2025 general election, where polls do not paint an encouraging picture for the party. Multiple candidates are expected to enter the leadership race.

Here are the most famous ones:

Chrystia Freeland

Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s former deputy prime minister, is among the prominent names expected to join the Liberal leadership race. Freeland unexpectedly resigned in December, citing disagreements with Justin Trudeau over “the best path forward for Canada.” A high-profile member of Trudeau’s team, Freeland previously served as Canada’s foreign and finance ministers.

Last year, Freeland was asked why Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was previously on Canada’s no-fly list and had his bank accounts frozen, was being honored posthumously in Parliament. She responded by recognizing the solemn anniversary of Nijjar’s death and reaffirming Trudeau’s strong stance on threats to Canadians. However, she avoided explaining the government’s previous actions against Nijjar or the reasons for honoring him after his death.

Mark Carney

Mark Carney, a former governor of the Bank of Canada, is widely seen as the leading candidate for the leadership of the Liberal Party. Trudeau admitted he had long sought to bring Carney onto his team, most recently offering him the role of finance minister following Chrystia Freeland’s exit. Carney refused.

According to the Toronto Star, he recently reached out to Liberal MPs to gauge support for a possible leadership bid.

Mark Carney, chairman of Brookfield Asset Management, said in 2023 that he sees India as a major investment opportunity due to its strong domestic demand and global supply chain shifts.

Anita Anand

Anita Anand, Canada’s transportation minister, is considered one of the more ambitious members of the Liberal caucus. With a background in financial regulation and corporate governance, the Indian-born leader has held several key positions in the federal government, including oversight of public services and procurement, defense and the Treasury.

Last year, Anita Anand announced stricter security measures for airline passengers traveling to India. This came after tensions rose between Canada and India when Trudeau accused India of being involved in the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. She said the security measures were for safety and included more screening for passengers flying from Canada to India.

Dominic LeBlanc

Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s finance minister, took over immediately after Chrystia Freeland’s resignation and is one of Trudeau’s closest allies.

LeBlanc is a trusted ally of Trudeau. Their long-standing friendship includes LeBlanc babysitting Trudeau and his siblings when they were young. LeBlanc comes from a political family; his father served in the cabinet of Trudeau’s father, Pierre Trudeau. A former lawyer, he once ran for party leadership in 2008 but lost.

Last year, LeBlanc dealt with serious allegations related to India’s foreign interference in Canada. He confirmed that the ongoing probe into foreign interference would also examine new allegations of criminal activities such as murder, coercion and extortion allegedly linked to Indian government agents. LeBlanc said the investigation’s current mandate already covers India’s involvement and he is confident the final report will include these new allegations.

Melanie Joly

Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly has been navigating diplomatic tensions, including a dispute with China and allegations against the Indian government. She is known for her “pragmatic diplomacy,” which involves engaging with countries with which Canada has disagreements.

Last October, Joly expelled six Indian diplomats linked to suspected criminal activities against Canadian citizens. The move followed an RCMP investigation into the 2023 killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.