With two weeks remaining in the federal Liberal leadership contest, Sault Ste. Marie member of Parliament Terry Sheehan says he has not yet made a decision on who to support.
The four Liberal leadership hopefuls participated in an English-language debate on Tuesday to appeal to registered party members for leadership of the party.
Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney, former government House leader Karina Gould, former finance minister Chrystia Freeland and former MP Frank Baylis are each vying to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a contest that ends on March 9.
Sheehan said he watched the recent English and French leadership debates.
"Over the next couple of days we'll be speaking with the candidates and I'll be making my decision shortly, because I can tell you people in Sault Ste. Marie are really excited about the new leader," said Sheehan.
"I'm excited too. I have a new energy," he added.
Some have suggested that Trudeau should continue as prime minister, but Sheehan said he doesn't support that.
"No, Mr. Trudeau has announced that he will be retiring. He announced that and he continues to support our party. He said he will support whoever the leader is and and that's it. But no, he's done," Sheehan said.
Recent polls suggest the next federal election will be a tighter race than would have been expected even a few months ago. Some have suggested the Liberal polling numbers have increased in response to anti-Canadian rhetoric and tariff threats made by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Sheehan said Liberal party ads showing Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre parroting soundbites made by Trump have been effective.
"I know that Canadians quite frankly are concerned about Pierre Poilievre's responses, they're finding that he speaks a lot like Trump," said Sheehan.
"People are very leery that Poilievre quite frankly will simply be a lap dog for Trump," he added.
Sheehan said the more Trump tries to weaken other countries, the more it brings those countries together.
"Canada has the most trade deals of any country in the G7, and that's why we're such a great place to do business with, and we'll continue to diversify," Sheehan said.
"We'll continue to work with the European Union and [Trans-Pacific Partnership] countries. That's a huge market," he added.
Gould, Freeland and Baylis are currently members of parliament and one of them would become prime minister if installed as the Liberal leader.
There is some debate as to whether unelected Carney would become prime minister should he win, but some experts note that John Turner was not an elected member at the time he became Canada's 17th prime minister in 1984.