Francois-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, has announced that he will not be seeking the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada in the upcoming leadership race.
In a post shared on X, Champagne described the decision as difficult but expressed his gratitude to Canadians, colleagues, and organizers across the country who have supported his vision for the nation’s future.
“I won’t be seeking the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada in the upcoming race,” Champagne stated. “A difficult decision but one I take with Canada at heart. Thanks to Canadians, colleagues and organizers from across the country who share the vision of a proud, ambitious, and prosperous Canada.”
Champagne’s decision follows that of Melanie Joly, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, who also announced she would not run for the leadership of the party, citing the need to focus on pressing international challenges, including economic pressures and threats of tariffs from the US President-elect, Donald Trump.
The political shake-up also includes Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who declared that he would resign as leader of the Liberal Party and as Prime Minister once a new candidate for the role is selected. Trudeau further stated that the Canadian Parliament would be prorogued, or suspended, until March 24, signaling a shift in leadership.
“I intend to resign as party leader and as Prime Minister after the party chooses the next leader. If I have to fight internal battles, I can’t be a good candidate. I have asked the Liberal Party president to search for a new candidate for the post of Prime Minister,” Trudeau announced.
Trudeau’s resignation comes after a period of parliamentary paralysis. In his resignation speech, he emphasized his commitment to Canada, acknowledging the country’s resilience and the critical challenges it faces globally. He added, “The fact is despite best efforts to work through it, Parliament has been paralyzed for months after what has been the longest session of a minority Parliament in Canadian history.”
With Trudeau stepping down, the Liberal Party will be in search of new leadership, setting the stage for what could be a defining moment in Canadian politics.