The race to succeed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the leader of the ruling Liberal Party is slowly picking up pace. Ontario MP Karina Gould has entered the race to succeed Trudeau by announcing her candidacy.
By contesting for the post, she becomes the first cabinet minister to do so.
"It's time for a new generation of leadership. I'm here for Canada and for you today, tomorrow and for years to come," she said in a video launched on Saturday.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and former central banker Mark Carney are the other major contenders for the post.
Karina Gould, 37, is also the youngest among those vying for the post. "Right now, Canadians have lost faith in our party and we have to earn back their trust."
Earlier this month, Trudeau announced his intent to resign as the leader of the Liberal Party and eventually from the prime ministerial post.
Who is Karina Gould?
Gould has been the leader of the Government in the House of Commons since July 2023. In Canadian history, she is the youngest woman to serve as a cabinet minister. She was first appointed to Cabinet on February 1, 2017.
Born on June 28, 1987, Gould grew up in Burlington, Ontario. She graduated from M.M. Robinson High School in 2005. In 2006, she met her husband Alberto Gerones during volunteering work in Mexico.
She got her honours degree in political science in 2006 from McGill University and earned her honours degree in political science.
Gould completed her master's in international relations at St Hilda's College, Oxford.
At the age of 28, Gould defeated Conservative incumbent Mike Wallace, who had represented the riding since the 2006 federal election, by winning 46% of the vote to his 42.5%.
In 2015, Gould was named the parliamentary secretary to the minister of international development.
In 2017, she was named Minister of Democratic Institutions, succeeding Maryam Monsef.