JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West
As the race for leader of the federal Liberal party gears up, two of the three West Island MPs have declared their support for former governor of the Bank of Canada Mark Carney.
Lac-Saint-Louis MP Francis Scarpaleggia, however, is still mulling over who to back, as he explained that there are several strong options for the role.
“It’s an embarrassment of riches, in a way,” Scarpaleggia told The 1510 West lastweek.
“We’re very fortunate that we have so many highly qualified people who are seeking the Liberal leadership,” added Scarpaleggia, who marked 20 years as an MP last June.
He is looking to support a candidate who can connect with Quebec.
“I think all candidates appreciate the importance of appealing to Quebecers and that Quebec is essential for any desire to form government,” he said.
Pierrefonds-Dollard MP Sameer Zuberi announced his endorsement of Carney earlier this month.
Zuberi consulted with Liberal voters in his riding and found the vast majority were looking for a candidate with fresh ideas and a strong economic background.
“The main thing Canadians and Quebecers want is a fresh start,” Zuberi said in an interview. “There’s a lot of excitement around Mark Carney and that’s a big reason why he is a very good potential leader.”
Dorval–Lachine–LaSalle MP Anju Dhillon also voiced support for Carney in a social media post last Sunday. She encouraged voters to register for the Liberal Party in order to vote for Carney in the leadership election this March, accompanied by a photo of the two.
Dhillon was not available for comment.
Candidates for the Liberal leadership have been gathering endorsements from MPs over the past weeks. Recent reports show that Carney has received more than 50 endorsements from Liberal MPs, followed by 27 for former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland. Government House leader Karina Gould has received three MP endorsements so far.
Montreal businessman and former Pierrefonds-Dollard MP Frank Baylis, the only candidate from Quebec, has not yet publicly received any endorsements from Liberal MPs.
Zuberi pointed out that the voting system in this leadership election allows voters to rank candidates. While he hasn’t yet decided in what order he will rank the candidates after Carney, he said Baylis would be another candidate who could give the party a much-needed shot in the arm.
“The good thing about the ranked ballot system is that you can (support) multiple people,” Zuberi explained. “It’s not necessarily one’s first choice who will take the day; it might be one’s second choice.”
Baylis, Zuberi added, “is very well-respected as a successful businessperson, philanthropist, and somebody who has a lot to offer.”
Other candidates include Sydney–Victoria MP Jaime Battiste and former Brampton–Springdale MP Ruby Dhalla.
Nepean MP Chandra Arya announced in a post on X on Sunday that he was “informed by the Liberal Party of Canada that I will not be permitted to enter the leadership race.” Arya did not offer a reason for his disqualification but had stirred controversy earlier this month by saying he did not speak French and dismissed the importance of the French language in Quebec.
Citizens had until this past Monday to register for party membership in order to participate in the vote to decide the next leader.
The election for party leader will be held on Sunday, March 9.
Cutline:
Pierrefonds-Dollard MP Sameer Zuberi endorsed Carney last week in a social media post.