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On Monday, Justin Trudeau announced his resignation paving the way for a new leader to be elected by March 24. Anita Anand, the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade, is a front runner to replace him. Others being considered are Dominic LeBlanc, Chrystia Freeland, Melanie Joly, Francois-Philippe Champagne, and Mark Carney.
Anita Anand is a senior member of the Liberal Party of Canada. She has been a member of parliament since 2019, and has held several key portfolios, including Minister of Public Services and Procurement, Minister of National Defence, and President of the Treasury Board. She has been the Transport and Internal Trade Minister since 2024.
Born on May 20, 1967 in Kentville, Nova Scotia to doctor parents Saroj D Ram and SV Anand, who moved to Canada from India in the early 1960s, Ms Anand and her family had humble beginnings - which played a big part in her values and shaped her professional ethics right since she was a student. Anita Anand has two sisters, Gita and Sonia. In 1985, when she was 18, Ms Anand moved to Ontario where she pursued an academic degree in political science. She then completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Jurisprudence from Oxford University. She followed that up with a bachelors and a masters degree in law from Dalhousie University and University of Toronto respectively.
In the initial stages of her professional life, Ms Anand took up various teaching assignments, including at the renowned Yale Law School. During her stint as a law professor at the University of Toronto, she held the JR Kimber Chair in investor protection and corporate governance. She later became the Associate Dean of the University of Toronto as well as the Director of Policy and Research at the Capital Markets Institute at the Rotman School of Management.
In 1995, Anita Anand married John Knowlton, a Canadian lawyer and business executive who she had met during her post graduation in law at the University of Toronto. They have four children. They have lived in Oakville for more than 21 years - from 1997 to 1999, and again from 2005 to the present day. She has represented Oakville in the House of Commons since 2019.
Anita Anand's political career began when she stood for election from Oakville in 2019 and became the member of parliament from the constituency. As Minister of Public Services, she played a critical role during the COVID-19 pandemic. She played a pivotal role in negotiating better medical supplies for Canadians, including supply of oxygen, masks and PPE kits, vaccine supplies, and rapid antigen tests. Her role as public services minister was noteworthy and gained nationwide appreciation.
In 2021, she was given the charge of being Minister of National Defence. In her role, she brought about fundamental reforms to Canada's military. Her noteworthy contributions include reforms to address cases of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces. She was also responsible to oversee Canada's military aid to Ukraine. A reshuffle of Justin Trudeau's cabinet saw her being posted to the Treasury department, where she worked to bring about greater transparency in the financial system.
As Minister of Transport for nearly a year, Ms Anand has overseen infrastructure projects across Canada to improve roads, highways and rail transport. Addressing climate change has been central to her vision for a clean and green transport sector in Canada. She has also given emphasis to safety across the transportation sector by bring in reforms.
Anita Anand has also been a strong advocate of inclusiveness and gender equality. She has actively spoken in favour of LGBTQIA+ rights and supported the outlook for diversity in Canada. Being a person of Indian descent, she herself has become a face of Canada's diverse political landscape.
While Kim Campbell from the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada became the first and only woman prime minister of Canada in 1993, there has been no woman PM from the Liberal Party. Should Anita Anand be selected as Justin Trudeau's replacement, she will create history by becoming the first woman of colour and first Canadian of Indian origin to become the prime minister of Canada.