- On Monday, Justin Trudeau announced his resignation, paving the way for a new leader to be selected by March 24. Transport and Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand is the frontrunner to replace him. Others being considered include Dominique LeBlanc, Chrystia Freeland, Mélanie Jolie, François-Philippe Champagne and Mark Carney.
- Anita Anand is a senior member of the Liberal Party of Canada. He 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. He is the Minister of Transport and Internal Trade from 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 reflected her values. And played a big role in life. He shaped her professional ethics since she was a student. Anita Anand has two sisters, Geeta and Sonia. In 1985, when she was 18, Ms. Anand moved to Ontario where she pursued an academic degree in political science. He then completed a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Jurisprudence from the University of Oxford. He then earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law from Dalhousie University and the University of Toronto, respectively.
- In the early stages of her professional career, Ms. Anand held various teaching assignments, including at the renowned Yale Law School. During his tenure as professor of law at the University of Toronto, he held the JR Kimber Chair in Investor Protection and Corporate Governance. She later became Associate Dean of the University of Toronto, as well as 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, whom she met while pursuing a Master of Laws at the University of Toronto. He has four children. They have lived in Oakville for over 21 years – from 1997 to 1999, and again from 2005 to present. He 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 Public Services Minister, he played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic. He played a key role in negotiating better medical supplies for Canadians, including the supply of oxygen, masks and PPE kits, vaccine supplies and rapid antigen tests. His role as Public Services Minister was notable and received nationwide appreciation.
- In 2021, he was given the charge of Minister of National Defence. In his role, he brought about fundamental reforms in the Canadian military. His notable contributions include reforms to address sexual misconduct cases in the Canadian Armed Forces. She was also responsible for overseeing Canada’s military aid to Ukraine. Following Justin Trudeau’s cabinet reshuffle, he was posted to the Treasury Department, where he worked to bring greater transparency to the financial system.
- As Minister of Transportation for almost a year, Ms. Anand has overseen infrastructure projects across Canada to improve roads, highways and rail transportation. Addressing climate change has been central to his vision for a clean and green transportation sector in Canada. He has also emphasized on safety in the entire transport sector by bringing reforms.
- Anita Anand has also been a strong supporter of inclusivity and gender equality. He has actively spoken out in favor of LGBTQIA+ rights and supported diversity viewpoints in Canada. Being a person of Indian origin, 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 female Prime Minister of Canada in 1993, there has been no female Prime Minister from the Liberal Party. If Anita Anand is chosen to replace Justin Trudeau, she will create history by becoming the first black woman and the first Canadian of Indian origin to become Prime Minister of Canada.
