OTTAWA – Liberal leadership hopeful Mark Carney secured three more endorsements from cabinet on Saturday, with Defence Minister Bill Blair and Transport Minister Anita Anand backing Carney in statements on X and Housing Minister Nate Erskine-Smith hosting an event for the candidate in Toronto.
Blair said in his statement that Canadians are worried about threats they’re hearing from the U.S., a reference to ongoing promises of tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump. He said Carney, a former Bank of Canada governor, has “experience and a proven track record in navigating economies through tough times.”
”(Canadians) want a leader who will stand up for us and all the things that make our country great, who knows how to manage an economy and has the strength of character to stand up to a bully,” Blair said in his post, while also noting Canadians are concerned about safety and security issues.
“I have spent most of my life trying to keep Canada safe and I know the quality of leadership required for the job.”
“Mark is the right person to lead our country through these challenging times.”
At Erskine-Smith’s event, the Toronto MP lauded Carney’s experience handling crises, both as governor of the Bank of Canada and later as governor of the Bank of England.
“And in a moment of crisis, you want someone who has experience managing through many, many crises,” Erskine-Smith told the crowd, with Carney standing beside him.
“Especially when we face the threat of tariffs.”
Anand said in a video posted to social media on Saturday that she worked with Carney during the global financial crisis almost 20 years ago and saw that he has “the ability to steer Canada during very difficult times and to ensure that Canada comes out on top.”
Carney told the supporters in Toronto that Canadians were anxious about issues like housing and the cost of living, even before Trump threatened tariffs.
“We can’t move away from living next to the Americans but we’ve got to recognize that their attitude has changed and we’ve got to stand up for ourselves, and we will stand up for ourselves,” Carney said to a cheering crowd.
Carney also told supporters he would run as an MP in the upcoming election, regardless of how the leadership race turns out.
MP Adam van Koeverden also endorsed Carney on Saturday after the pair filmed a promotional video together on the Rideau Canal earlier in the week.
The Liberals will choose a new leader to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on March 9.
Carney is already backed by several current and former cabinet ministers, including Gary Anandasangaree, Steven Guilbeault, Patty Hajdu, Mélanie Joly, Sean Fraser and Harjit Sajjan. On Thursday, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson also endorsed Carney.
Seven candidates in total submitted paperwork and a $50,000 deposit last week seeking to be on the ballot. They include cabinet ministers Karina Gould and Chrystia Freeland, MPs Jaime Battiste and Chandra Arya and former MPs Ruby Dhalla and Frank Baylis, in addition to Carney.
Freeland is scheduled to appear on a popular Radio-Canada talk show on Sunday night where she will make a pitch to francophone voters. Gould spent Friday and Saturday campaigning in Quebec but will be in Toronto on Sunday working the phones, her campaign said.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne has an event planned for Sunday in Shawinigan, Que., former Liberal prime minister Jean Chrétien’s hometown. Champagne is widely expected to endorse Carney at the event.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 25, 2025.
