Liberal leadership: Protestors disrupt Freeland’s campaign launch, Gould pledges carbon freeze, Carney gathers support

Chrystia Freeland launched her bid to be the next federal Liberal leader as hecklers tried to interrupt her announcement.

OTTAWA — It was a busy day in the Liberal leadership race, as former finance minister Chrystia Freeland and House Leader Karina Gould officially launched their bids for the top spot, while Mark Carney continued to gather support from within the party.

Here’s everything that happened on Sunday:

Protestors disrupt Freeland’s launch

At the official launch of her Liberal Party leadership campaign, Freeland was shouted down, confronted at the podium and repeatedly forced to restart after more than a dozen protestors continuously disrupted the event, some carrying flags and banners relating to the war in Gaza.

After multiple interruptions Freeland addressed the protestors saying, “this is not okay, it’s not okay to disrupt Canadian democracy,” adding “you can have a different point of view but you cannot stop others from speaking.”

In a press release, protest organizers say this comes after more than a year of repeated attempts to reach Freeland “through letters, direct visits to her offices, and various means,” to address Canada’s support of Israel.

Freeland pitches self as fighter

Eventually, Freeland delivered her pitch to Canadians, describing herself as “battle-scarred” and ready to fight against incoming U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods.

“We won’t pick a fight with you. We don’t want a fight with you. But if the fight comes to our door, remember—we love our country just as much as you love yours,” Freeland told the crowd at the St. Alban’s Boys and Girls Club in Toronto.

The former finance minister and deputy prime minister also distanced herself from Justin Trudeau, saying she had been in disagreement with the prime minister for “some time” prior to her resignation from cabinet in December, suggesting she would “listen to Canadians” by scrapping the consumer carbon tax.

“She is applying for the job of wartime leader, a trade war with Trump,” CTV News political analyst Scott Reid said. “She’s trying to position as a mission ready leader who can take him on.”

Freeland says she plans to run in the next election, regardless of whether or not she wins the Liberal leadership contests and called on other candidates to make the same pledge.

Gould would keep carbon tax

Gould also launched her leadership bid this morning, saying she is stepping down as house leader and plans to freeze the federal carbon price but not abolish it.

“What I am proposing is that we need immediately cancel the increase to the price of pollution ahead of April 1, we need to bring in measures that are going to help Canadians make the decision they want to make,” Gould said.

Gould advocated for subsidies to purchases of electric and hybrid vehicles, home emission reductions, and maintaining an industrial carbon tax as part of a “comprehensive, national plan” to fight climate change.

Gould also hinted that she may do away with the Liberal changes to the capital gains tax, calling for a serious review of the increase.

Carney garnering Cabinet support

Carney did not speak over the weekend after officially launching his leadership campaign in Edmonton on Thursday, but did receive support from a number of Liberal ministers over the weekend.

On Sunday, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly posted on social media that she was endorsing Carney due to his “unparalleled economic experience,” saying he is the best positioned to defeat Pierre Poilievre.

That call was echoed by Kamal Khera, the minister of diversity, inclusion and persons with disabilities, and Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan, who pointed to how “his expertise was used to help Canada during a global financial crisis.”

Freeland is also supported by a number of current and former ministers, including Mark Holland, Marie-Calude Bibeau and Diane Lebouthillier.