Former British Columbia premier Christy Clark says she wants to be “part of the conversation” around the future of the federal Liberals if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were to step down as party leader.
Her statement Monday — which does not call for Trudeau’s resignation — comes amid a growing internal revolt from within the Liberal caucus to push Trudeau to step down and questions about the prime minister’s grasp on his leadership.
“The position of Liberal leader is not going to be available any time soon,” Clark said in the statement, which her office provided to Global News.
“If that were to change, I would want to be part of the conversation on the future direction of the Liberal Party and of the country.”
Global News has learned Clark, a registered Liberal Party member who led the more centre-right BC Liberals as premier from 2011 to 2017, has been taking French lessons. She also spoke at the Ontario Liberals’ annual general meeting last month.
Clark previously called on Trudeau to resign after the Liberals lost a stronghold riding in the Toronto-St. Paul’s byelection in July. At the time, she said she was not organizing a future leadership bid for the event Trudeau steps down.
Monday’s statement appeared to suggest that could change.
“Because I care deeply about our country and its future, I have never closed the door on the possibility of one day returning to politics,” her statement said.
Clark said she’s listened to Canadians across the country who are concerned about polarization getting in the way of solving issues like the cost of living, housing, health care and climate change.
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She said she’s also heard frustration toward “politicians who think sowing division is an acceptable path to victory,” but does not mention anyone by name.
Up to 30 Liberal MPs have signed on to an internal document calling on Trudeau to step aside, which is expected to be raised at the next caucus meeting on Wednesday.
One of those MPs, Sean Casey, told reporters Monday he thinks it is in the nation’s best interest for Trudeau to step down in order to avoid a Conservative government led by Pierre Poilievre.
Last week saw four more cabinet ministers tell Trudeau they won’t run for re-election, adding to a growing cabinet exodus and other MP resignations this year.
Those resigning ministers and the rest of cabinet have remained unified in expressing support for Trudeau to continue as leader.
Trudeau has resisted past calls to step aside as his party continues to face a double-digit polling slump against the opposition Conservatives.
No potential replacements have emerged, either — making Clark the first prominent politician to openly voice an interest in the role if it were to open up.
Clark further explained in a social media post Monday that Trudeau “has earned the right to make any decision about his leadership on his own,” and that her focus was on defeating the Conservatives.
“Pierre Poilievre thinks simplistic slogans and bombastic rhetoric can solve Canada’s problems. He doesn’t have any solutions,” she wrote.
“No one in our country benefits from, or wants, the polarization he is peddling.”
Clark endorsed former Quebec premier Jean Charest in the 2022 Conservative leadership contest ultimately won by Poilievre, and warned the federal party was making a “race for the extremes.”
She also accused Trudeau at the time of dividing the country when he said the views of the so-called “Freedom Convoy” protesters who blockaded downtown Ottawa and federal border crossings to oppose COVID-19 vaccine mandates were unacceptable.
Clark was ousted from power after the BC Liberals — now known as BC United — narrowly won the 2017 election but could not win the support of the legislature to form government, and the second-place BC NDP took over.
The BC Liberals had been in government for 16 years under Clark and her predecessor Gordon Campbell, but has since collapsed after the failed BC United rebrand and completely suspended its campaign ahead of Saturday’s provincial election.
Clark has been a legal adviser and a frequent political commentator in Canadian media since leaving provincial political office.
—with files from Global’s Jillian Piper and Richard Zussman, and the Canadian Press
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