Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson will not seek to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the leader of the Liberal party.
The North Vancouver MP withdrew his name from the list of potential leadership candidates Friday, saying in a statement posted to social media if had he decided to run, he would have been a viable contender to lead the Liberal party.
“I am very grateful for the outpouring of support over the past 11 days,” Wilkinson said in the statement.
“While the timeline is extremely short, I am confident that if I had chosen to run, I would have raised the required funds and fully stood up a competitive national organization, thanks to many Liberals and Canadians across the country.”
Wilkinson announced he was withdrawing from the potential leadership race less than two hours after Chrystia Freeland, one of the highest-profile contenders for the leadership, formally launched her bid to lead the party.
“I’m running to fight for Canada,” Freeland’s one-sentence announcement on social media said.
Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney announced his candidacy to lead the Liberals during an event in Edmonton on Thursday.
Wilkinson was first elected in 2015 before going on to serve in several Liberal government cabinet posts, including as environment minister, natural resources minister and fisheries minister.
In his statement Friday, Wilkinson said it would not be in the best interest of the country if he were to step away from his role as energy minister to run for the party leadership at a time when U.S. president-elect Donald Trump is threatening to impose broad tariffs on Canadian exports to the country.
“Stepping aside from my position in cabinet at this critical time would not, in my view, best serve Canadians and the country I love so much,” Wilkinson said.
The energy minister’s statement also accused Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of introducing “fearmongering, misinformation and polarization” into Canadian politics, referring to the Tory leader as a “career politician” who “has done nothing wiser than sit in the House of Commons since he was 25 years old.”
Wilkinson did not endorse any one Liberal leadership challenger in his statement, saying the party is “fortunate to have several strong and capable options… all of whom I am confident can bring to the table leadership, fresh perspectives and an economic focus.”
The Liberal party has set rules for the leadership race requiring candidates to pay a $350,000 entrance fee, which includes a refundable payment of $50,000.
All candidates for the leadership must declare their intentions to run by Jan. 23, with the race ending in a vote on March 9.
