As soon as the governing Liberals of Canada find a new prime minister, Justin Trudeau will leave his place as the PM after nine years.
Among the top contenders, two big names have emerged, including the former deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and the former Central banker Mark Carney, and the winner will be announced on 9 March.
Many cabinet ministers, including Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc have declined to run as they all wish to focus on their current responsibilities.
Controversies and Challenges in the Race
The Nova Scotia member of Parliament, Jaime Battiste, who is currently running and might just be the first Indigenous Prime Minister, if he wins, has removed himself from the race, thereby narrowing the field.
Ruby Dhalla, a former Toronto-based MP was also kicked out due to some “extremely serious” violations. She has been accused of inaccuracies in her financial reporting. In a recent review, she stressed that she is the rest only candidate who does not have any connection with the Trudeau government. She said, “The first act that I would do as the leader of the party is to ensure that we get back towards the center, to the right of center, because I think that is the need of the hour.”
Whoever wins the race will face immediate hurdles, including the US trade tensions under Trump and the potential general election.
Betting Markets and Election Speculations
According to the polls, there are high chances of losing the election in a landslide to the opposition Conservative party. A recent poll by Abacus Data indicated a 46% support for the Conservatives compared to 20% for the Liberals.
It is uncertain which of the top contenders will provide the Liberals with their best shot at the polls. But the votes can come as soon as the Canadian politicians return to the House of Commons on 24th March as the opposition legislators committed to try to top the Liberal government soon.
There is rising interest in online election betting sites for the leadership race as several senior cabinet ministers who were earlier expected to enter the race are declining to run to focus on the tense relationship with the US.
This has led to shifting betting odds to reflect both political and public sentiments. Depending on who the winner of the leadership race on March 9, the future political landscape might take a drastic turn for Canadians. The 53-year-old Justin Trudeau had become deeply unpopular among voters over various issues such as surging immigration, and soaring costs of food and housing. Therefore, it will be an interesting event for political bettors who are looking for opportunities to wager on the Canadian election.
