(OTTAWA) Liberal activists show unwavering loyalty to their leader, Justin Trudeau. Few publicly question his firm intention to lead the Liberal troops again in the next election campaign.
Those who aspire to hold his position one day are also discreet. The main contenders – Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly, Minister of Defense Anita Anand and the former governor of the Bank of Canada Mark Carney – abstain from setting in motion any organization in view of a possible leadership race.
Mr. Carney, who attends the Liberal convention, politely declined the request for an interview with The Press Friday, anticipating questions about his political ambitions. He has already supported the idea that Justin Trudeau will be at the helm of the party during the next election campaign, which will take place in the fall of 2025 at the latest.
All this is in the order of things, believes David Herle, a former close associate of former Prime Minister Paul Martin. Mr. Herle saw up close the painful heartbreaks that marked the years in power of Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin.
“There is a strong sense of loyalty to Mr. Trudeau because he saved the party from a death that seemed certain in 2015,” analyzed Mr. Herle, on the first day of the Liberal Party’s national convention, which will bring together some 4,000 party members in the federal capital until Saturday.
“His magic gave the party a second wind. Everyone recognizes that. Also, there is no obvious successor at present, unlike what we have seen in the past. There is no one who thinks that we could do better during an election campaign with another leader, quite the contrary,” added Mr. Herle in an interview with The Press.
Broad consensus in the ranks
Liberal activists interviewed Thursday, hours before Justin Trudeau delivers his evening speech, echoed Herle’s analysis.
They are convinced that Justin Trudeau is the perfect person to prevent the leader of the Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre, from taking power.
“Yes, he’s the man for the job,” said Jean Charbonneau, a member of the liberal association in the riding of Ahunstic-Cartierville, owned by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, without hesitation. “When you compare him to the alternatives, he’s the better leader. He will stay as long as he wants and I assume he will have a plan for his succession,” added Mr. Charbonneau.
Mustafa Zuberi, who is the president of the Young Liberals at the University of Guelph in Ontario, argued that Justin Trudeau embodied ideas that young people hold dear.
He is the best person to lead our party in the next election. He is the face of the party. It has been for 10 years. I don’t know of anyone else who could bring all the assets it has to the party.
Mustafa Zuberi, President of the University of Guelph Young Liberals
Alongside Justin Trudeau as soon as he arrived in federal politics, Louis-Alexandre Lanthier, an activist from the Quebec region who settled in Ottawa, wore the scarf of the 2012 leadership race, which was won hands down Justin Trudeau arriving at the Liberal convention. “He still has a vision for the future. The COVID-19 pandemic has given him the chance to prove what he can do. But at the same time, it kept him from finishing what he started. He still has things he wants to do,” he commented.
For his part, Gregory Liverpool, an activist from the Winnipeg region, is one of the few to wonder about the future of his leader. “I’m torn right now. I will listen to his speech tonight [jeudi]. He has to deliver a good speech tonight. And I will see later,” he said.
During the convention, the Liberals will debate about thirty resolutions. Liberal activists in Quebec will try to pass a resolution asking the Liberal Party to present a precise and quantified plan for a return to a balanced budget that would be included in the party’s electoral platform.
Justin Trudeau will miss part of the deliberations. He must leave the country at the end of the day on Friday to participate in the coronation ceremony of King Charles III. The convention ends on Saturday evening.