OTTAWA — The federal Liberal caucus gathered on Parliament Hill on Wednesday with speculation swirling about which of its members will put their names forward to lead the party into the next election — and with one potential contender bowing out. Just before the meeting got underway, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc posted a statement to social media thanking supporters for their encouragement and saying he’s decided not to run in the upcoming race.
The New Brunswick MP wrote that Canada is “at a critical juncture in its relationship with its most important ally and trading partner, the United States.” Speaking to reporters before the meeting, LeBlanc said he was genuinely touched that caucus colleagues encouraged him to seek the leadership. “I decided that the most important thing I should do over the next few months is my job as minister of finance and intergovernmental affairs,” he said, adding he will be “solely focused on the real economic threat that American tariffs represent.” Incoming U.S. president Donald Trump threatened in November to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all goods from Canada and Mexico when he takes office, unless both countries act to stop migrants and illegal drugs from crossing the border into the United States. In December Canada announced a $1.3-billion plan to beef up the border. That did not deter Trump, who has ramped up his rhetoric in recent days insisting the tariffs are coming and threatening to use “economic force” to annex Canada and make it the 51st state. LeBlanc has travelled to Florida twice since Trump won the U.S. election in November to meet with the president-elect and key members of his team. He first accompanied Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate for dinner, where a small Canadian delegation tried to make the case that tariffs would hurt American citizens and Canada’s econom
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