As Justin Trudeau steps down after almost a decade as Canada’s prime minister, the race for his successor is heating up. Among the names being tossed around, Anita Anand stands out as a strong contender alongside key names such as Pierre Poilievre, Chrystia Freeland, Mark Carney, etc.
With her impressive governance and public service background, the 57-year-old lawyer has remained one of the most ambitious Liberal Party members since entering politics in 2019.
Justin Trudeau resigns as Canada’s prime minister
After nearly a decade in power, Trudeau announced his resignation on Monday. Losing support from voters, Trudeau announced that he couldn’t lead Canada into the next election because of internal struggles within his party. He said he would remain prime minister until a new leader is chosen. “I don’t easily back down faced with a fight, especially a very important one for our party and the country. But I do this job because the interests of Canadians and the well-being of democracy is something that I hold dear,” he said according to PTI.
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To allow time for the Liberal Party to find a new leader, Parliament, which was set to start on January 27, will be paused until March 24. During this period, a leadership race within the party will take place. Meanwhile, the opposition parties are preparing to challenge the Liberal Party, making a spring election likely once the new leader is selected.
Who is Transport Minister Anita Anand?
BBC places Indian-origin leader Anita Anand as one of the top 5 contenders who could replace Trudeau after his resignation. Anand is a Canadian lawyer and politician who is currently serving as the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade. The 57-year-old former defence minister has remained one of the key figures within the party since she first entered politics in 2019, representing Oakville, a suburb of Toronto.
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Educational background: Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies from Queen’s University, a Bachelor of Arts in Jurisprudence from Oxford University, a Bachelor of Laws from Dalhousie University, and a Master of Laws from the University of Toronto.
Anand has also held academic positions at prestigious institutions like Yale, Queen’s University, and Western University, and was a law professor at the University of Toronto before entering politics.
Family background: Anand was born in born in Kentville, Nova Scotia. Her parents, mother Saroj D. Ram and father S.V. (Andy) Anand were both Indian physicians. She has two sisters Gita and Sonia Anand.
Political career: Throughout her career, Anand played key political roles, including Minister of Public Services and Procurement, where she was praised for her critical efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as securing vaccines. In 2021, she became Canada’s Minister of Defence, took major responsibility for assisting Ukraine during its ongoing war with Russia, and managed a personnel crisis in the Canadian Armed Forces.
Despite facing a controversial cabinet shuffle that moved her to the Treasury Board, Anand remains one of the favourites in the cabinet. In December, she was appointed Transport Minister. Meanwhile, another Indian-origin politician, George Chahal, a community leader and advocate, is gaining support as a top candidate for interim leader