OTTAWA—Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has become the latest cabinet minister to pass on the Liberal leadership race.
Wilkinson posted online that he would not be pursuing a bid for Liberal leader.
He said he is confident that, even with the short time frame, he could put together a national campaign and raise the required money to be a serious competitor.
But with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration threatening Canada’s economy, he needs to focus on his job.
“Stepping aside from my position in cabinet at this critical time would not, in my view, best serve Canadians and the country I love so very much,” he said. “It is the seriousness with which I take the service of this country that has led me to come to this decision.”
Wilkinson committed to running in the next election in his Vancouver riding, regardless of who wins the Liberal leadership race. He said the party needs to ensure it offers new ideas and new energy to Canadians to defeat Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
“Canadians deserve so much more than the three-word slogans and punchlines that Mr. Poilievre uses in the place of actual policy.”
Wilkinson’s exit solidifies a smaller field in the race to replace Justin Trudeau. Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney officially entered the race on Thursday and former finance minister Chrystia Freeland announced her intentions in a post on X, saying she was “running to fight for Canada.”
Freeland is planning a formal launch in Toronto on Sunday and Government House Leader Karina Gould will launch her campaign in her riding of Burlington, Ont. over the weekend.
Three other candidates have also announced: Ottawa backbench MP Chandra Arya, former Quebec Liberal MP Frank Baylis and Nova Scotia Liberal MP Jaime Battiste.
Among Trudeau’s current cabinet, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne and Transport Minister Anita Anand all declined to enter the race.
Candidates have until Jan. 27 to sign up new members and must raise $350,000 as an entrance fee.
The race will be decided on March 9.
Correction – Jan. 17, 2025
This article was updated from a previous version that mistakenly said minister Jonathan Wilkinson said he wasn’t confident that he could put together a successful campaign with the short timeline. In fact, he said the opposite.
