Chandra Arya, a Member of Parliament for the Liberal Party, has officially declared his candidacy to become Canada’s next Prime Minister. He filed his nomination and spoke to the public in his native Kannada, a historic statement from the Canadian Parliament.
Chandra Arya Announces PM Candidacy
In early January, Arya announced his bid to become Canada’s next Prime Minister, just hours before the Liberal Party disclosed that they would elect their next leader on March 9. This comes after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he is stepping down. However, Trudeau confirmed that he will remain in office until a new leader is chosen.
In his speech in the Parliament, Arya expressed great pride in speaking Kannada, a language that millions of people speak in India, especially in his home state of Karnataka. He said, “It is a matter of immense pride for me, a man from Karnataka’s Tumakuru district, to stand here as a Canadian MP and speak in pure Kannada in the Canadian Parliament.”. This moment resonates with the hearts of over 5 crore Kannadigas.” Arya also quoted the renowned poet Kuvempu, reflecting his strong cultural roots.
Makes us so proud⭐
Indian-origin MP Chandra Arya from Karnataka joins the race to be Canada’s next Prime Minister after Justin Trudeau’s resignation!
Speaks in kannada as he files his nomination
“Matter of immense pride for me, a man from Karnataka’s Tumakuru district, Sira… pic.twitter.com/HXvIiCKqwF
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) January 17, 2025
Policy Proposals and Vision for Canada
Chandra Arya, who has been a member of the House of Commons since 2015, has published a detailed policy paper as part of his campaign. Among his major promises are raising the retirement age by two years by 2040, introducing a citizenship-based tax system, and recognizing Palestine as a state.
However, the bolder proposal he made is the replacement of the monarchy in Canada with a republican form of government. He declared, “It’s time for Canada to take full control of its destiny,” with a free country from colonial ties with the British monarchy.
Controversies and International Relations
In the past few months, Arya has found himself entangled in various political controversies, especially concerning an incident between separatist Sikh protesters and Hindu worshippers during a visit from Indian consular officials amid rising tensions between Canada and India. His response to the incident sparked controversy, with clashes with NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and Liberal MP Sukh Dhaliwal.
In 2024, Arya also traveled to India and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, though Global Affairs Canada clarified the fact that this was a personal trip and Arya was in no official capacity.
With this election season reaching its peak, Arya is expected to be much in the public eye because of his cultural heritage and his brash vision for the future of Canada.
