Carney secures two more ministerial endorsements

More Carney endorsements

Photo: The Canadian Press

National Defence Minister Bill Blair speaks at a press conference in Ottawa on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024.

Liberal leadership hopeful Mark Carney secured two more endorsements from cabinet on Saturday.

Defence Minister Bill Blair backed Carney in a statement on X, while Nate Erskine-Smith hosted an event for the former Bank of Canada governor in his Toronto riding.

MP Adam van Koeverden also endorsed Carney on Saturday, after the pair filmed a promotional video together on the Rideau Canal earlier in the week.

At the event in Toronto, Carney told supporters he would run as an MP in the upcoming election, regardless of how the leadership race turns out.

The Liberals will choose a new leader to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on March 9.

Seven candidates in total submitted paperwork and a $50,000 deposit last week seeking to be on the ballot. They include cabinet ministers Karina Gould and Chrystia Freeland, MPs Jaime Battiste and Chandra Arya and former MPs Ruby Dhalla and Frank Baylis, in addition to Carney.