The new Liberal leader Probably calling for an election in the next two weeks, said former Deputy Prime Minister Sheila Copps while the party is gathering in Ottawa on the last day of its management competition.
In an interview with the Mercedes Stephenson of the West Block, Copps says that if the former governor of the Bank of Canada, Mark Carney, appears as a replacement for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Sunday evening, as he was presumed, he could call an election before March 24, when parliament thanks.
“I think it’s going to be fast, in part because, as we know, the Conservatives have a lot of money in the bank. (…) And they will try to start Carney again as soon as he is elected, ”explains Copps.
Sheila Copps, former Deputy Prime Minister, believes that the election will be called “earlier than late”.
The Canadian Press / Frank Gunn
“So, if the Liberals under the chief enter an election, then the electoral rules are set up on what you can spend on advertising. Before the elections, it is almost carte blanche.
The Ipsos survey recently shown the Federal Liberal Party with a slight advance on the Conservatives for the first time since 2021.
The survey, carried out exclusively for Global News by Ipsos, Also showed a majority, 86% of Canadians said they immediately wanted a federal election, Canada has a Prime Minister and a government with a strong term to face Trump’s prices.
As well as Carney, the former Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland, the liberal legislative Karina Gould and the businessman of Montreal Frank Baylis all compete for the first job. Copps initially launched his support behind Gould and hopes that she is the race finalist.
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Copps believe that the Resurgence of support for liberals This is because Carney could go aside with Trump on his pricing threats.
“I think the asset, the tormented has refocused the attention of Canadians to having a leader who has in fact a good experience and a good commercial experience,” explains Copps.
Trump imposed radical prices on all Canadian products earlier this week to announce withdrawals and withdrawals to a range of goods two days later, in particular by delaying the prices on goods which meet the requirements of the rules of origin under the Canada-American-Mexico agreement. He also continuously slowed down Canada with Threats to become the “51st state” of the United States.
In addition to being the former governor of the Bank of Canada, Carney, 59, also traveled the world by working for Goldman Sachs and was the first non -British person to become governor of the Bank of England.
“He has somehow made stuff to the public and private sectors successfully. And I think people are very worried about what’s going on in Washington, and they want someone who has experience has really delivered their own offers, ”explains Copps.
“So, if Trump tries to make it the art of his agreement, we have someone on our side which can manage on an equal footing with regard to the transition of power.”
With the renewed popularity of the party, Copps says that if Carney wins leadership, he should take the current cabinet to the elections and reshape it later.
“”Right now, they have a decent and strong team there. You see, people like (Minister of Foreign Affairs) Melanie Joly and (Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs of Canada) Dominic Leblanc carrying the message very effectively. »»
The party’s change of fortune will also probably invite the deputies who previously declared that they will not ask for the re -election to change their mind. An example of this was the Minister of Transport and internal trade Anita Anand About face last monthWhen she announced that she would present herself in the next elections, despite a month earlier saying that she was not planning and planned to return to her former academic life.
“I think you will see others do the same. I really do it, ”says Copps. “And I know that the appointment process will be much more popular now, because when you are up, people like to present themselves for your party. And when you go down, it is difficult to obtain candidates, good candidates. “”
In terms of advice for the new potential leader, Copps says he should work on his French and be “a little more folk”.
“He has history. He was born in Fort Smit in Nwt and lived in Alberta, and he lived in Ontario and he lived abroad. So he has a wide experience, but he may seem a little remote. And I think that on the campaign track, people will want someone they can identify with. »»
This also means eliminating criticism of the refusal to disclose financial assets. Carney said he would put his financial assets in a blind trust if he was elected.
“This is how it works in Canada. Unlike the United States, where Trump can really launch a bitcoin on the same day that he becomes president and get money. The laws here are therefore very direct, ”explains Copps.
The winner of the breed of liberal leaders must respect the law on the conflict of interest, which means that they must yield the controlled assets. These assets must be sold in a transaction of arm length or placed in a blind trust within 120 days.
The new liberal chief should be announced on Sunday evening.
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