Who will replace Trudeau as Canada PM, Indian-origin Anita Anand among contenders
Despite his announcement to resign on Monday, the 53-year-old embattled leader confirmed he would remain in office until the ruling Liberal Party chooses his successor. Canada's parliament will also remain suspended until March 24.
The top contenders to replace Trudeau as PM are Anita Anand (left), Melanie Joly (centre) and Chrystia Freeland (right). (Pics: Reuters, AP, AFP/India Today)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation as the head of state and chief of the ruling Liberal Party after months of facing a stiff internal revolt with demands for him to step down. In his announcement on Monday, however, Trudeau said that he will remain in office until his successor is elected.
As per Trudeau, the country's parliament will remain suspended until March 24 until a new Liberal Party leader is chosen.
From November 2019 to October 2021, Anita Anand was named Minister of Public Services and Procurement; then she went on to helm the Defence Ministry from October 2021 to July 2023. As Defence Minister, Anand led Canada's efforts to provide aid for Ukraine amid the war with Russia.
She was, however, shuffled out of the Defence Ministry to oversee the Treasury Board until December 2024. During a Cabinet reshuffle last month, she was moved again into the role of Transport Minister and Internal Trade.
Melanie Joly held three other cabinet positions before being named Foreign Minister 2021.
The 45-year-old Oxford-educated lawyer has visited Ukraine several times, in a show of Canada's support. She also made a trip to Jordan to oversee the evacuation of Canadian citizens following the eruption of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023.
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| Chrystia Freeland |
Chrystia Freeland, known to be a Trudeau aide and one of the most powerful ministers in his Cabinet, announced her resignation as the Deputy Prime Minister in December 2024. Her announcement, which stunned the country, came as Trudeau had expressed a desire to shift her to another department.
The 56-year-old, who was also the Finance Minister, criticised the embattled Prime Minister's plans for increased spending in her public resignation letter, only to increase pressure on Trudeau to step down.
A journalist before entering politics, Freeland entered the House of Commons in 2013 and two years later joined Trudeau's cabinet with a trade brief after he swept the party to power.
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| Anita Anand |
BBC places Indian-origin leader Anita Anand as one of the top 5 contenders who could replace Trudeau after his resignation. Anand is a Canadian lawyer and politician who is currently serving as the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade.
The 57-year-old former Defence Minister has remained one of the key figures within the party since she first entered politics in 2019, representing Oakville, a suburb of Toronto.
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