Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly not running for Liberal leadership

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly says she won't seek the Liberal leadership, arguing her role in cabinet is too important during an especially charged moment in Canada-U.S. relations.

"I decided to put my country first," Joly said Friday, on her way into a a special cabinet meeting focused on how to handle the incoming White House administration. 

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose steep tariffs on Canadian goods and has suggested using "economic force" to annex Canada. 

Speaking to reporters, Joly said two questions weighed on her mind as she made her decision. 

"The first one is: Am I ready to be the first woman to lead the Liberal Party of Canada? And the answer is yes," she said. 

"And am I ready, at the same time, to step away from my responsibilities as minister of Foreign Affairs at a … crucial time in the Canada-U.S. relationship? And the answer is no." 

She joins Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc as the second cabinet minister to back off a leadership run citing Canada's relationship with the U.S.

Earlier this week, Joly said she was reflecting on a run. She was said to have been well-organized and amassed support behind the scenes. 

"To be frank, I think that our chances were really, really high," she said Friday. 

Joly wouldn't say who she plans to endorse, noting not many people have declared yet.

"Yes, I have an organizing base and yes, we will play a role in this leadership race," she said. 

With the Liberal Party unveiling the leadership rules late Thursday, anticipated candidates are expected to announce within the coming hours and days whether they intend to run.

A number of cabinet insiders — including Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Employment Minister Steven MacKinnon — have said they are considering running for the top job.

Former central banker Mark Carney has also said he's interested. Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, former B.C. premier Christy Clark and House Leader Karina Gould are said to be gathering supporters, too.