The Liberal Party of Canada will soon be holding its election to choose a new leader after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepped down. There is no date yet for the Liberal Leader elections, many candidates have expressed their interest to run for the race. What is more interesting is the number of Indian-origin people who will be playing a crucial role in this Liberal voting either by running as a candidate or by making decisions and policies for the Liberal party as board of directors or party workers.
The top name in the list is Sachit Mehra. Mehra is the President of the Liberal Party of Canada. Trudeau said in his address that he asked party president Sachit Mehra to start preparing for the contest. Mehra said in a release, “In accordance with the Liberal Party’s Constitution, I will call a meeting of the National Board, to be held this week, to begin the nation-wide democratic process for selecting a new leader of the party.”
Mehra, on his website, describes himself as a “proud Liberal member, and volunteer from the prairies for over 32 years.”
As mentioned in his LinkedIn profile, Mehra, is local businessman from Winnipeg and the owner of East India Company Restaurants, with locations in Winnipeg and Ottawa. According to the restrain website, his father, Kamal Mehra, moved from New Delhi to Canada in the 1960s.
While the party prepares to elect its new leader, its national board of directors will also have an important role. According to the party’s website, the board is consists of volunteers from across the country who care passionately about Canada’s future and promoting Liberal values. “We are community leaders, parents, and professionals who volunteer our time in this role. The board works together to provide oversight and guidance to the Party in matters both fiduciary and strategic. We meet regularly in person and by phone with the objective of ensuring the Party is prepared for the next federal election. It is an honour to work with such a distinct and talented group of individuals.”
Hardam Mangat, is the National Vice-President (English), Ranbir Hundal is Director of Liberal Party of Canada (Nunavut) and Prachi Shah is Constitutional and Legal Adviser (French).
Apart from directors, Indian Origin Liberal MP Chandra Arya has announced his bid to run for the leadership. Arya was first elected by Nepean voters in 2015 and has been a backbench MP ever since.
He said, “I am running to be the next Prime Minister of Canada to lead a small, more efficient government to rebuild our nation and secure prosperity for future generations. We are facing significant structural problems that haven’t been seen for generations and solving them will require tough choices. I have always worked hard for what is best for Canadians, and for the sake of our children and grandchildren, we must make bold decisions that are absolutely necessary. If elected as the next Leader of the Liberal Party I offer my knowledge and expertise to do so.”
Anita Anand is another potential candidate to enter the leadership race. Although she has not officially released any statement to confirm her bid, a source close to Transport Minister Anita Anand confirmed to 680News Radio that she is also seriously considering a leadership bid.
Anand has packed a lot into her over five years in Parliament after she was first elected to the Oakville riding in 2019. She began as the Minister of Public Services and Procurement during the COVID-19 pandemic before becoming the Minister of National Defence until 2023.
She was later named President of the Treasury Board before settling into her latest role as Transport Minister.
Currently, non-Canadian residents are also allowed to vote in Liberal Party riding nomination and leadership contests. The Liberal Party told CBC News on Monday that it doesn’t intend to change or reinterpret rules in its 2016 constitution that Elections Canada has suggested could make the vote be at least as vulnerable to such efforts as previous leadership races. That includes allowing international students to vote. Although many Liberal MPs are pushing to change the eligibility criteria of who can vote in election of Liberal leader .
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Employment Minister Steven MacKinnon have all said they are considering a run.
Former central banker Mark Carney has also said he’s interested. Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, former B.C. premier Christy Clark and House Leader Karina Gould are said to be gathering supporters, too.
Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc said he would not seek the top job, saying he’s better placed to focus on Canada’s relationship with the U.S.
