Former British Columbia premier Christy Clark said Tuesday she will not run in the race to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as leader of the federal Liberal Party.
In a statement, Clark thanked the volunteers who had expressed interest in her potential candidacy and organizers who mobilized “on very short notice,” but said there wasn’t enough time for her to mount a successful campaign.
“I have made the difficult decision to step back,” Clark said.
“While we have come a long way, in a short time, there is simply not enough time to mount a successful campaign and for me to effectively connect with Francophone Canadians in their language. I have worked hard at improving my French but it’s not where it needs to be, today.”
Global News had previously reported that Clark had been taking French lessons ahead of a potential entry into federal politics.
Clark was previously seen as a potential contender in the race to succeed Trudeau, who announced last week he would resign after the Liberals chose a new leader. The party has outlined rules for a leadership race that will see a winner declared by early March.
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Clark said Tuesday that timeline did not leave enough time for the Liberals to “build a process that will renew and grow our Party.”
She also took swipes at Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who will face the next Liberal leader in an election that could launch as early as this spring.
“Our Party must still find a way to generate new momentum and energy,” Clark wrote. “To open itself up to a broader group of Canadians who have felt left out, but who can’t abide the snarling, sneering politics of Pierre Poilievre or the unrealistic approach of the NDP.
“I won’t be in this leadership race but I won’t stop fighting.”
Clark’s statement comes days after she was forced to walk back her claim this week that she’d never been a member of the Conservative party.
She said on social media she “misspoke” after saying in a CBC interview she never joined the Conservatives or received a ballot for the party’s 2022 leadership race, where she publicly supported former Quebec premier Jean Charest against Poilievre.
The Conservatives released a screen grab of their electronic records, showing Clark was an active member of the party from June 2, 2022 until June 30, 2023.
During the interview and on social media afterwards, Clark, who has called herself a “lifelong Liberal,” said she was seriously considering a Liberal leadership bid but was disappointed by the short timeline for the race.
Candidates have until Jan. 23 to officially enter the Liberal leadership race.
Current Ontario Liberal MP backbencher Chandra Arya and former Montreal MP and businessman Frank Baylis have announced they are running.
Global News learned earlier Tuesday that Government House Leader Karina Gould will also enter the race.
Other potential candidates include former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney and former deputy prime minister and finance minister Chrystia Freeland.
Innovation and Science Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne is expected to announce whether he will run on Tuesday.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson has also signalled he is considering running, though has made no announcement.
Nova Scotia MP Jaime Battiste has said he’s also contemplating a run and would be the first Indigenous prime minister were he to run and win the leadership.
Several cabinet ministers have also signalled they won’t be running for the role, with Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon and Transport Minister Anita Anand all bowing out in the past week.
—With files from Global’s Sean Previl
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
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