Ottawa: Ottawa MP Chandra Arya has become the latest candidate to announce his intention to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal Party leader and Prime Minister of Canada. If elected, Arya promises to make Canada a sovereign republic by replacing the British monarchy as head of state. He also promised merit-based governance, an increase in the retirement age by 2040, and state status for Palestine.
Arya’s candidacy has sparked controversy partly because of his ties with India and independent visit to meet PM Modi in a time of strained Canada-India relations. Arya denies the accusations of religious bias and believes that there are some hard decisions to be taken in order to make Canada strong.
The Liberal Party is getting ready for a leadership race, and big names such as Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney are thinking of joining the contest. The Liberals are having internal debates on campaign rules, leadership eligibility, and foreign interference concerns with a tight timeline in view of a probable spring election. Meanwhile, the Conservatives hold a 24-point lead in polls, adding pressure to the party’s decision-making.