1) Hecklers interrupt Freeland’s leadership campaign launch, Gould pledges carbon freeze

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Dylan Robertson, January 19, 2025

Former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland has launched her bid to be the next federal Liberal leader while staring down multiple hecklers.

Freeland’s speech in Toronto to launch her candidacy for party leadership was interrupted several times by protesters with at least one banner and a flag related to Gaza.

Freeland says she will seek re-election as a Liberal MP regardless of whether she wins party leadership, and says all other contenders should make the same pledge.

Another recent federal minister, Karina Gould, also launched her leadership bid this morning, saying she is stepping down as House leader and plans to freeze the federal carbon price but not abolish it.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly has endorsed Mark Carney for Liberal leader in the race’s first major endorsement from a Quebec minister.

Candidates only have until Jan. 23 to declare they are running and begin a series of entry fee payments to the Liberal party so they can join the race.

2)Liberal House Leader Karina Gould says she’s running for party leadership;

Courtesy Barrie 360.com and Canadian Press

By Kyle Duggan, January 18, 2024

Government House leader Karina Gould has become the youngest candidate to throw her hat in the ring to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, saying she’s the right person to rebuild the party.

“Canadians have lost faith in our party, and we have to earn back their trust,” the 37-year-old Gould said in a video posted to social media on Saturday, noting the country is anxious about the future after several difficult years. 

“We need to rebuild our party so that we can keep building our country,” she said.

Gould said the party needs new leadership to “fight for everyday Canadians” – someone who has a track record of “standing up to bullies” and won’t back down.

Gould has represented Burlington, Ont., in the House of Commons since 2015 and serves as the Liberals’ House leader, which has her often facing off with ranking Conservatives during debate in Parliament.

She joins former finance minister Chrystia Freeland and former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, who both declared their intentions to run for leadership over the past few days.

Freeland is billing herself as the best person to lead Canada’s fight against incoming U.S. president Donald Trump, saying she’s taken him on before — and won.

Freeland released her first video ad on Saturday morning, marking her first substantial effort to define her campaign since joining the Liberal leadership race on Friday.

In the video posted to social media, she said she was a “tough negotiator” in talks to update the North American Free Trade Agreement, and that Trump doesn’t like her “very much” because Canada won that battle.

She said she left Trudeau’s cabinet in December because she knows how to win the coming fight with Trump.

“Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies think they can push us around,” she said over images of Trump on stage at a rally with Elon Musk. “Trump thinks we’re for sale — that he can take what isn’t his. We’re not gonna to let him.”

She also took aim at Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, saying “he’ll bow down to Trump and sell us out.”

Freeland is planning a full campaign launch Sunday in Toronto. Gould is set to formally launch her campaign this weekend as well.

Former central banker Mark Carney launched his campaign Thursday in Edmonton. 

Ottawa MP Chandra Arya and former Montreal MP Frank Baylis have both indicated they intend to run, as has Cape Breton MP Jaime Battiste.

Potential candidates only have a matter of days left to declare they will vie for the party’s top job before the cutoff deadline on Thursday.