Anita Anand To Replace Justin Trudeau? What Her Rise As Canada's PM Could Mean For India

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Canada's Transport Minister Anita Anand is in the race to become the next Prime Minister of the country. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his decision to step down on January 6 ahead of the 2025 elections.

The next federal election in Canada is scheduled on or before October 20, 2025.

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Trudeau's announcement has sparked speculation over who will succeed him till the next election. Indian-origin leader, Anita Anand is among the top contenders, according to media reports.

Who is Anita Anand?

Anand is the current Minister of Transport and Internal Trade in Canada. Born and raised in rural Nova Scotia, Anand moved to Ontario in 1985. She and her husband, John, raised their four children in Oakville.

Anand has held many positions during her career. She was first elected as the Member of Parliament for Oakville in 2019. Anand also served as Minister of Public Services and Procurement from 2019 to 2021, and as President of the Treasury Board and Minister of National Defence. She is likely to be the interim prime minister, holding office till polls.

What could it mean for India?

Anand as Canadian prime minister could have implications for India, keeping in mind her background and policy priorities. Some of the implications could be:

With her Indian roots, Anand may prioritise fostering closer ties with India. Given the country's interest in expanding its presence in the Indo-Pacific region, this could mean facilitating bilateral trade agreements.

Anand may likely push for more people-to-people connections, considering the significant Indian diaspora in the country.

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Canada is home to one of the largest Indian diasporas in the world, with over 1.8 million individuals of Indian origin.

Immigration Backlogs

Anand may address immigration backlogs and take steps to handle anti-India sentiment and extremist narratives within sections of the diaspora in Canada, experts said. Given her tenure as Canada's Defence Minister, Anand might promote closer defence cooperation with India.

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