Indian-origin Anita Anand opts out of Canada PM race to replace Trudeau

Anita Anand's was among the top contenders for the position after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation, effective once the Liberal Party elects a new leader

Indian-origin Canadian MP Anita Anand on Sunday announced that she will not run for Prime Minister this time. Anand, who is currently Canada's transport minister, was among the top contender for the position after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation, effective once the Liberal Party elects a new leader.

 

Sharing a letter on her social media, Anand said, "Today I am announcing that I will not be entering the race to become the next Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and will not be seeking re-election as the Member of Parliament for Oakville. I will continue to honourably execute my roles as a public office holder until the next election."

 

 

On January 6, Justin Trudeau stated that he would step down as leader of the Liberal Party and as prime minister once his replacement is found. The new Liberal leader will be announced on March 9. 

 

Anand noted that like Trudeau, she too had decided to move on to her next chapter. "I have determined the time is right for me to do the same, and to return to my prior professional life of teaching, research and public policy analyses," Anand, who represents Oakville in the House of Commons, said.

 

Who is Anita Anand?

 

Born and raised in rural Nova Scotia, Anita Anand moved to Ontario in 1985. She and her husband, John, have raised their four children in Oakville, according to information on the Canadian government's website.

 

Before entering public office, Anand was a lawyer and law professor for over 20 years, most recently at the Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, where she served as a full professor and chairholder with a focus on capital markets regulation and governance.

 

"During my first campaign, many people told me that a woman of Indian descent would not get elected in Oakville, Ontario. Yet Oakville rallied behind me not once but twice since 2019, an honour that I will hold in my heart forever," Anand stated in the letter.

 

Throughout her career, Anand has held numerous positions. She was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Oakville in 2019. She served as Minister of Public Services and Procurement from 2019 to 2021 and has also served as President of the Treasury Board and Minister of National Defence.

 

"Since 2019, I have been deeply honoured and humbled to serve as Oakville's Member of Parliament and as a member of Cabinet. In these roles, I have given all I have to keep Canada safe, strong, and free. I entered public life because I wanted to make a meaningful contribution to my community and country, a goal instilled in me by my parents, who immigrated to Canada before I was born," her letter read.

 

"Back in 2019, I could never have imagined that such work would mean navigating supply chains to overcome a global pandemic, addressing sexual assault in the Canadian Armed Forces, ensuring military aid reached Ukraine, overseeing the Treasury Board Secretariat or reinforcing Canada's transportation systems. While this chapter of my life has been challenging, it has been tremendously fulfilling to deliver results for Canadians by working collaboratively," she said.

 

After the 2019 election, she took a leave of absence intending to return to academia. "The joy and fulfilment that I take in our current work collaborating with the Prime Minister, my Cabinet colleagues, our caucus and the broader team delayed this decision," Anand said, referring to her decision to step out of the race for prime minister.