Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon says he will not join the race to become the next leader of the Liberal Party.
MacKinnon says he feels the competition to become the next leader needs diverse, experienced and pragmatic voices in both English and French.
While he feels he could be that voice, the Gatineau MP says the short duration of this leadership race would not allow him to mount the type of campaign he wants to run.
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Instead of competing for leadership, he says he will focus on his ministerial responsibilities and listen carefully to help make an informed decision about who should replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Trudeau announced in early January that he would resign as prime minister and leader of the Liberal Party as soon as a replacement was chosen.
So far, former Montreal MP Frank Baylis and Nepean, Ontario MP Chandra Arya have joined the race, while former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney signaled through his campaign team that will launch a leadership bid late next week.
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