As of now, Justin Trudeau is expected to remain prime minister and leader of the federal Liberals until Canadians head to the polls next fall.
If something changes between now and then, however, one name to keep an eye on is former British Columbia premier Christy Clark.
The Burnaby-born politician has been on the sidelines since she resigned as leader of the BC Liberals in the summer of 2017.
In a statement provided to NowMedia today, Clark said she has “never closed the door on the possibility of one day returning to politics.”
While there’s plenty of speculation surrounding Trudeau’s future as the Liberal Party of Canada struggles in the polls, Clark is not prepared to talk about the prime minister’s job.
Clark says Trudeau has earned the right to make his own decisions about his future, but if that decision is to step down, she’s interested in becoming leader of the federal party.
“The position of Liberal leader is not going to be available any time soon,” Clark’s statement read. “If that were to change, I would want to be part of the conversation on the future direction of the Liberal Party and of the country.”
According to Clark, Canadians are “fed up” with politicians who think sowing division is an acceptable path to victory at the polls.
She believes people want leaders who will unite Canada behind practical solutions to significant issues like cost of living, the housing crisis, health care and climate change.
“Right now, we all need to be focused on uniting Canadians and working together as Liberals to defeat the divisive Poilievre Conservatives in the next election,” Clark wrote on X.
“Pierre Poilievre thinks simplistic slogans and bombastic rhetoric can solve Canada’s problems. He doesn’t have any solutions.”
While Trudeau has not indicated that he has any plans to step down and Clark will remain on the sidelines for now, the former BC premier is certainly a name to watch over the next year.
