Anita Anand, the Liberal cabinet minister for transport and internal trade, confirmed on Saturday that she will not pursue the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada, nor will she seek re-election for her Oakville, Ont., parliamentary seat, which she has held since 2019.
In a statement shared on social media, Anand expressed gratitude for her time in cabinet and signaled that with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepping down, she too would step away from public office to return to her academic career. Anand previously served as Canada’s defense minister and president of the Treasury Board.
Anita Anand, the Liberal cabinet minister for transport and internal trade, confirmed on Saturday that she will not pursue the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada, nor will she seek re-election for her Oakville, Ont., parliamentary seat, which she has held since 2019.
In a statement shared on social media, Anand expressed gratitude for her time in cabinet and signaled that with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stepping down, she too would step away from public office to return to her academic career. Anand previously served as Canada’s defense minister and president of the Treasury Board.
She thanked Trudeau for the opportunities provided to her and indicated her plan to return to teaching, research, and public policy analysis. Despite her decision, she committed to continuing her role in public office until the next election.
Anand’s decision comes amid a growing pool of candidates considering leadership bids, including former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney and former B.C. premier Christy Clark.
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