Trudeau 'absolutely' best person to lead the Liberals in next election: LeBlanc insists

Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc insists he’s not planning a leadership campaign to head the Liberal party, should current leader and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resign, seemingly quashing rumours he’s planning to make a move for his boss’ job.

LeBlanc — who serves as the minister of public safety, democratic institutions, and intergovernmental affairs — told CTV’s Questions Period host Vassy Kapelos in an interview airing Sunday that Trudeau should “absolutely” remain as Liberal leader in the next election.

“I think he's the best person to lead the party into the next election,” he said.

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The questions came after the Globe and Mail published a column last month, reporting that a former Liberal cabinet minister met with LeBlanc to discuss plans for him to run to succeed Trudeau if he was to step down as party leader.

The column also reported that "over whisky and cigars," an "eager" LeBlanc agreed to be part of a group to lay the foundations for a campaign.

“I had a conversation with an old friend at some friend’s house,” LeBlanc told Kapelos. “I'm not organizing a leadership campaign in any way, I'm looking forward to running in the next election.”

“The prime minister has said he's going to be leading the party in the next election,” he added. “I'm very excited about that.”

LeBlanc also said he “took that retired person’s positive comment in jest,” referring to the “friend” who suggested he run for the leadership.

LeBlanc isn’t the only well-known Liberal who’s been rumoured to be after Trudeau’s job. Political watchers have long speculated that former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney has his eyes on it as well.

Despite having dismissed those questions, a pair of public appearances by Carney last week — delivered shortly after the federal government released its latest budget — reignited the leadership run rumours.

With files from CTVNews.ca’s Senior Digital Parliamentary Reporter Rachel Aiello