Clad in a Katimavik T-shirt, Liberal MP Justin Trudeau announced his intention to run for the leadership of his party in a Youtube video posted on Tuesday.
“Hey my friends, it’s Justin. You’ve all supported me online all these past years, so I wanted to tell you guys directly first: I am running for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. I know it is going to take a lot of work, but I know together, we’re going to change the way politics is done in this country.”
The long-expected announcement was preceded by weeks of commentary on a Trudeau leadership bid, including analyses of the challenges he would face in Alberta, and the threat a Trudeau-led Liberal party could pose for the NDP’s newly won dominance in Quebec.
Another expected contender for the job, Liberal MP Dominic LeBlanc, has stepped aside for Trudeau’s run. LeBlanc also stepped aside so that former leader Michael Ignatieff could run uncontested, and has said previously he was unlikely to challenge Trudeau, an old friend, should the photogenic MP decide to run.
Trudeau may still face a field of challengers that could include former astronaut and fellow Montreal MP Marc Garneau, past and current MPs, and Vancouver prosecutor Alex Burton.
With the leadership vote still six months away, there is plenty of time for a misstep to derail Trudeau’s run, but most analysts consider his star power a virtual guarantee to win the race.
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