Innovation Minister Champagne, former B.C. premier Clark not running to replace Trudeau [Video]

The pool of potential candidates to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau continues to dwindle with both former B.C. premier Christy Clark and Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne announcing they won’t seek the Liberal Party leadership. 

Clark made her announcement Tuesday, just days after she had to walk back a claim that she was never a member of the Conservative Party. 

Joining the ever-growing list of cabinet ministers who aren’t seeking their boss’s position, Champagne told the Canadian Club Toronto shortly after that he will also not be seeking the leadership. 

“I will dedicate my energy to defend Canada, to defend Canadians, to defend Canadian businesses,” he told the crowd.

“It was probably one of the most difficult decisions in my life but I think it’s the right one at the right time.”

WATCH | Champagne says he’s not running for leadership: Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne says he will not run in the Liberal leadership race. Champagne says he will dedicate …