Under mounting pressure from within his own party, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that he will step down as leader, marking the end of his administration. Trudeau plans to remain in office until the Liberal Party selects his successor, who will serve as prime minister until the next federal election in October 2025. At that time, Canadians will vote to determine whether the Liberals, Conservatives or another party will form the next government.
This leadership race has ignited a fierce debate about the role of bilingualism, Quebec’s identity, and Canada’s broader political priorities. Ottawa MP Chandra Arya’s candidacy is at the center of the conversation, as he boldly rejected French fluency as a requirement for federal leadership. Instead, he affirmed that French-speaking Canadians, like others across the country, value practical, results-driven policies over the upholding of tradition, emphasising the need to prioritize tangible outcomes that address pressing national issues.
Historically, the Liberal Party has alternated between anglophone and francophone leaders, reflecting Canada’s bilingual ethos and the effort to balance the political and cultural interests of both linguistic communities. French-speaking leaders from Quebec, such as Pierre Trudeau and Jean Chrétien, have carried the party to victory by speaking not just the language but the cultural and political dialect of the province. By not only speaking French but by embodying the cultural and political dialect of the province. However, Arya’s stance on French fluency challenges this long-standing tradition. Arya affirmed that
“[French] Quebecers, like all Canadians, at the end of the day, want to see the work to be done,” arguing that linguistic representation takes a backseat to policies that ensure prosperity for future generations.
Critics, however, contend that bilingualism remains a cornerstone of Canadian politics, especially given Quebec’s cultural and linguistic identity. Gatineau MP Steven MacKinnon has stressed the importance of choosing a leader fluent in both official languages, stating that:
“It is absolutely essential that our next leader be fluent in both of Canada’s official languages […] to understand all of the linguistic communities in Canada.”
If the Liberal Party fails to address the growing divide over bilingualism within its leadership race, it risks facing significant challenges in uniting French Quebecers and maintaining its competitive edge against rival parties heading into the next federal election. Based on the Abacus Data poll, the Liberals sit at just 23% support in Quebec, trailing the Bloc Québécois at 38% and the Conservatives at 25%. Nationally, the Liberals hold a tenuous lead over the NDP, at 22% and 18% respectively, while the Conservatives lead with a commanding 43%. For a party that has long relied on Quebec’s strong support to secure electoral victories, this decline in support in the province threatens to upend its traditional path to forming a government.
While Arya argues that Quebecers are more focused on policy than language, many within the party, including Quebec MP Alexandra Mendès, emphasise the importance of cultural and regional representation. Precisely, Mendès supports the Liberal tradition of alternating leadership between Quebec and other regions, stating,
“It’s good for Canadians to know that they are being represented at different times by people from different areas of the country.”
Meanwhile, former BC Premier Christy Clark’s decision not to participate in the race highlights the challenges of bilingualism in national politics. In her statement, Clark explained that
“there is simply not enough time to mount a successful campaign and for [her] to effectively connect with Francophone Canadians in their language.” Her acknowledgement reflects the longstanding expectation for federal leaders to engage meaningfully with French Canadians, raising important questions about what level of fluency is necessary for national leadership.
As the leadership race unfolds, the focus is expected to shift away from national unity and toward issues like economic challenges and trade tensions with the United States, particularly in the wake of policies introduced during Donald Trump’s campaign. According to Daniel Béland, director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, although national unity remains an important consideration, it is unlikely to take center stage in this race.
However, Béland warns that ignoring Quebec’s linguistic and cultural identity would be a costly mistake for the Liberals, as securing seats in the province is critical to their electoral success.
“If they want to have a shot, they would be well advised to […] take the French language and the identity of the province seriously,” he wrote.
This point is underscored by the close competition the liberals face in Quebec. In the 2021 Canadian federal election, the Liberals secured 33.6% of the vote in Quebec, narrowly surpassing the Bloc Québécois at 32.1%. The Bloc, a separatist party with deep roots in the province for French Canadians, poses a significant challenge in maintaining Liberal support. This is evident in the 2024 by-election for LaSalle-Émard-Verdun, where the Bloc Québécois candidate, Louis-Philippe Sauvé, won by a narrow margin of 28% to the Liberal candidate’s 27.2%. These tight races highlight the critical role that the French Canadian vote plays in the Liberals’ ability to secure the majority in Quebec.
That being said, should the party continue to uphold bilingualism as a core value, or is it time to adapt to changing political realities? Arya’s rejection of tradition reflects a broader tension between pragmatism and symbolism in Canadian politics. As the leadership race unfolds, the party must grapple with how to balance inclusivity, national unity, and the practical demands of governance. Whether Arya’s platform resonates with voters or alienates key constituencies, his bid highlights the shifting fault lines in Canada’s political landscape.
Ultimately, the outcome of this race will shape not only the Liberal Party’s future but also the nation’s trajectory as it navigates questions of identity, representation, and leadership in a rapidly evolving world.
Edited by Jamie Silverman
This article is written by a Catalyst Staff Writer and does not necessarily reflect the political opinion of the platform. Catalyst is a student-led publication that encourages engagement with global issues from a learning perspective
Victoria Forte is in her third and final year at McGill University, where she is completing her B.A. in Political Science and Gender, Sexuality, Feminist, and Social Justice Studies. As she navigates her final year, Victoria brings a fresh perspective as a new staff writer for Catalyst. Her academic and journalistic pursuits are driven by a deep interest in exploring the intersections of power, identity, and social justice.