Nova Scotia Liberal MP Jaime Battiste withdraws from the Liberal leadership race and throws his support behind former central banker Mark Carney. Battiste, the only Indigenous candidate, cited advancing reconciliation, environmental protection, and affordability as his key priorities and believes Carney's leadership best aligns with these goals. The race now features five candidates, with Carney leading in polls and Baylis launching his campaign with a 'prosperity agenda'. Gould proposes tax relief and corporate tax hikes to address the cost of living.
Jaime Battiste , a Nova Scotia Liberal MP and the sole Indigenous candidate in the Liberal leadership race, has announced his withdrawal from the contest and his endorsement of former central banker Mark Carney . Battiste, representing the Sydney—Victoria riding, made the decision public through a statement released by his campaign late Thursday. He articulated that his primary objective is to champion reconciliation, environmental protection, and affordability in Canada.
He believes that supporting Carney's bid for leadership is the most effective way to advance these priorities. The Liberal leadership race now features five remaining contenders: Liberal MPs Chrystia Freeland and Karina Gould, alongside former MPs Frank Baylis and Ruby Dhalla. The Liberal Party of Canada disclosed that nearly 400,000 registered Liberals had enrolled to participate in the upcoming leadership election. This figure is preliminary, as the party continues to process applications and campaigns can challenge the registration status of voters. The party celebrated its 'best-ever January' for grassroots fundraising and reported over 100 Canadians expressing interest in becoming Liberal candidates for the next election.Frank Baylis formally launched his campaign at an event in Montreal on Thursday evening. He outlined his 'prosperity agenda,' emphasizing initiatives to alleviate the cost of living through investments in Canadian companies and universities, while ensuring fiscal responsibility. Baylis also proposed enhancing the healthcare system by maximizing the utilization of nurse practitioners and modernizing the government structure by decentralizing power from the Prime Minister and returning it to Parliament members and citizens. He criticized the current carbon tax structure, stating it disproportionately harms the wrong people and pledged to rectify the system while promoting clean air, though he lacked specific details on how. Addressing potential tariffs from the United States, Baylis adopted a retaliatory stance, advocating for dollar-for-dollar tariffs and expressing confidence in his ability to negotiate with U.S. President Donald Trump, stating, 'He will understand that he is not pushing us around.'Earlier Thursday, Liberal leadership candidate Karina Gould proposed a one-point reduction in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to four percent for a year, aiming to provide tax relief to struggling Canadians. She estimated the cost of this measure to be approximately $11 billion. To compensate for the revenue loss, Gould pledged to increase the corporate tax rate from 15 to 17 percent for businesses exceeding $500 million in annual profits. She cited instances of large corporations dominating market share and manipulating prices, making essential goods increasingly difficult for Canadians to afford. Gould argued that these wealthy corporations should contribute a fair share.A recent Leger poll revealed that Carney, emphasizing his economic credentials, enjoys a significant lead at 34 percent support among Canadians, with former finance minister Chrystia Freeland trailing in second place at 14 percent. Carney, who has garnered numerous high-profile cabinet and caucus endorsements, commands 57 percent support among Liberal voters, compared to Freeland's 17 percent. Gould remains at four percent among both Canadians and Liberal voters. This online survey, conducted by Leger from January 24 to 26, involved 1,527 Canadian adults and 336 Liberal voters. It lacks a margin of error. The Liberal party will select their new leader on March 9th.
Liberal Leadership Race Jaime Battiste Mark Carney Frank Baylis Karina Gould Reconciliation Environment Affordability Canadian Politics GST Corporate Tax
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