Liberal leadership: Melanie Joly, Brian Gallant will not run, both focused on other matters

CTV National News: Search for next leader Minister Steve MacKinnon is the latest Liberal MP to announce they won't be running for leadership of the party. Colton Praill reports.

Foreign Minister Melanie Joly will not run for Liberal leadership.

Up to now, Joly was widely considered a potential successor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who recently announced he would resign as leader of the Liberal party.

In a brief statement on X, Joly wrote that her primary focus would remain navigating the “unjustified threat” of tariffs coming from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.

Over the past week, I have spoken with dozens of friends, colleagues and close advisors; many of whom have encouraged me to run for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada,” reads her post.

“As Minister of Foreign Affairs, I must dedicate every minute of my time and all my energy to defending the interests of Canadians. Which is exactly what I am doing and will continue to do.”

During a scrum in Ottawa, she said the decision not to run was a difficult one to make.

“Because, to be frank, I think that our chances were really, really high.”

Asked if she would endorse another candidate, Joly remained tight-lipped, saying she did not yet know who will run.

However, she suggested she won’t take a back seat.

“Yes, I have an organizing base, and yes, we will play a role in this leadership race,” she said.

Former N.B. premier Gallant will not run

Former premier of New Brunswick Brian Gallant also confirmed to CTV News that he will not be in the running for Liberal leader.

"It has been flattering to have people ask me - I'm surprised at the outreach frankly - but I have to say no," Gallant said in a statement Friday.

Commenting on a call he received the previous day asking him to run for the leadership, he said, "It wasn't lost on me that I had diaper cream on my shirt and was late to the call because daycare drop-off took longer than expected," adding his focus is on his young family.

Gallant served as the 33rd premier of New Brunswick from 2014 to 2018, making him the second youngest premier of the province and the youngest premier in Canada at the time that he left office.

When will Liberals choose a leader?

The Liberals are preparing to pick a new leader by March 9, and anyone looking to run must announce their candidacy by Jan 23 and pay an entrance fee of $350,000 – a significant jump from the previous fee of $75,000.

On Monday, Trudeau announced he would resign the job, citing battles within the party.

Earlier this week, veteran Liberal MP and cabinet member Dominic LeBlanc also said he would not run for party leadership.

Other longtime cabinet ministers, including former finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland, Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Employment Minister Steven MacKinnon and Transport and Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand, are also on the shortlist of possible contenders to replace the leader.

Canada dealing with a ‘seasoned’ Trump

Trump’s threat of imposing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports to the U.S. has dominated headlines for several weeks, along with his rhetoric on annexing Canada.

It’s rare for incumbent governments to meet with their yet-to-be-sworn-in counterparts, but that’s been a central pillar of Joly’s job ahead of Jan. 20, when Trump will officially begin his second term. She has already met with incoming secretary of state Marco Rubio and spoke with Tom Holman, the former ICE director, who is expected to be Trump’s border czar.

She said the government has started these talks early because Trump is now a “seasoned politician” who knows the ropes of Washington.

“We need to take him very seriously,” she said, adding that Canada has “leverage” to dissuade, or eventually enter, a tariff war.

Government officials are hammering out a list of retaliatory tariffs, which has not yet been released.

Sources told CTV News that list is likely to include U.S. steel products and ceramics, including toilets and sinks, as well as Florida orange juice.

With files from CTV News Senior Political Correspondent Vassy Kapelos and CTV News' Lynn Chaya