Oakville MP Anita Anand says she will not be running for the Liberal leadership and won’t seek re-election.
Anand, who is the minister of transport and internal trade, made the announcement in a statement posted on her social media on Saturday afternoon.
“After the 2019 election, I took a leave of absence, intending to return one day to academia,” said Anand, who was a lawyer and law professor before entering politics.
“The joy and fulfillment that I take in our current work – collaborating with the Prime Minister, my Cabinet colleagues, our caucus and the broader team – delayed this decision. Now that the Prime Minister has made his decision to move to his next chapter, I have determined the time is right for me to do the same, and return to my prior professional life of teaching, research and public policy analyses.”
Please see my statement. pic.twitter.com/UePgtYFUHJ
— Anita Anand (@AnitaAnandMP) January 11, 2025
Anand was first appointed as minister of public services and procurement and oversaw the acquisition of personal protective equipment and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
After the 2021 election, she became the minister of national defence and then the treasury board president.
She thanked Trudeau for entrusting her with key cabinet roles.
“Back in 2019, I could never have imagined that such work would mean navigating supply chains to overcome a global pandemic, addressing sexual assault in the Canadian Armed Forces, ensuring military aid reached Ukraine, overseeing the Treasury Board Secretariat or reinforcing Canada’s transportation system,” Anand said. “While this chapter of my life has been challenging, it has been tremendously fulfilling to deliver results for Canadians by working collaboratively.”
Anand is the latest cabinet minister to be out of the running to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc have said they will not put their name in the hat.
Meanwhile, former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney is expected to announce his leadership bid next week, sources have told CTV News.
Candidates have until Jan. 23 to enter the race, with the next Liberal leader scheduled to be chosen on March 9.
With files from CTV News