Liberal leader Mark Carney meets with party candidate Sean Fraser at a bookstore in Musquodoboit Harbour, N.S., during his election campaign on March 25. REUTERS
Former housing minister Sean Fraser confirmed on Tuesday that he will run for re-election in Nova Scotia, despite previously saying he would step away to spend more time with his family.
Fraser announced his decision in a Facebook post, saying, "Well folks, it’s elbows up," signaling his readiness to return.
His comeback follows a personal call from Liberal Leader Mark Carney on Monday, urging him to rejoin the team. Carney asked Fraser to help tackle the growing economic threat from the United States. Fraser agreed, saying, "There is too much at stake in this election for me to sit on the sidelines."
Fraser mentioned that Carney promised to help him balance his work as an MP with being a father. "Honestly, it’s high time that we make these jobs sincerely family-friendly and I trust him to do it," Fraser said.
Carney praised Fraser’s return, calling it "exceptionally good news for Canada." He added that Fraser is among the many strong leaders stepping up during a critical time for the country.
Fraser is now the fifth Liberal MP who initially announced plans to leave but changed their mind. Others include Ontario MP Anita Anand, who reversed her decision in February, and former minister Helena Jaczek, who also decided to stay. New Brunswick MP Wayne Long and Toronto MP Nate Erskine-Smith also chose to run again, despite earlier plans to leave.
Carney held a campaign event at the Irving Shipyard in Halifax, where he was asked about concerns over Canada sharing confidential information with the US. This came after a recent report revealed that top US security leaders accidentally included a journalist in a group chat about military strikes.
Carney admitted that information leaks are a serious issue but stressed the importance of how leaders respond. "We have a very strong intelligence partnership with the Americans through Five Eyes," he said. "Mistakes do happen, but what’s important is how people react to those mistakes."
On defence, Carney pledged to speed up Canada’s military spending, aiming to hit NATO’s two percent target by 2030—two years earlier than Trudeau’s plan.
He also promised to modernize Canadian Armed Forces recruitment to fill staffing gaps. His plan includes raising salaries, adding more on-base housing, and improving health and child-care services.
Carney said his defence strategy will also include new submarines, more heavy icebreakers, and improved undersea infrastructure protection in the Arctic. He plans to strengthen the Canadian Coast Guard by equipping it with new surveillance tools.
Carney didn’t share all the details of his plan during the event, saying they will be part of the Liberal election platform.
