Hillary Clinton says she won't decide whether to run again to be the Democratic nominee for president "until some months ahead," particularly after she meets her first grandchild later this year.

Clinton made the comments in an interview with CTV's Canada AM while on a tour stop in Toronto to promote her new book, "Hard Choices."

Asked whether she would still consider running after eight years as a senator, a hard-fought losing campaign for the Democratic nomination in 2008, four years as Secretary of State, as well as pending grandparenthood, Clinton acknowledged, "I've got other exciting things happening in my life.

"I'm thrilled about being a grandparent. I don't know how that's going to feel. I don't know what I will want to do after this new person comes in to our family."

Clinton's daughter Chelsea announced her pregnancy in April, but did not say when she is due.

In the meantime, grandmother-to-be Clinton is enjoying her relative freedom after years of public service. And the lure of continuing to serving her country is strong.

"Why would I do it? Because I also really love my country, and I have served it in one way or another for a really long time," Clinton said. "And I think we're at a turning point in our politics. There are so many hard choices facing America."

The former First Lady has strong feelings about how her country needs to address health care, education, income inequality, and other issues.

"So if I believe that I have the right vision for the country and that I can lead the country there, that will be a very powerful pull," she said.

During book signings and other events, women often come up to her and ask her to run.

"I totally get it because there's a pent-up desire on the part of so many Americans to break that highest and hardest glass ceiling. And I respect that," she said. "But this is such a personal decision. Not only the campaign but what would come after it. And you have to be really 1,000 per cent committed."

Asked what advice she would give her daughter if she expressed a desire to enter politics, Clinton replied: "I don't think that's likely to happen."

But, she said, it's not a parent or guardian's job to discourage a young person when he or she is expressing career goals.

But it's important to ask the hard questions to figure out what their desire is based on and ensure it's what they really want.

"It always takes a toll on families, there's no doubt about that," she said. "And in today's world even more so because the media is 24-7, and obviously not just the traditional media. So anybody who goes into politics should go in with their eyes wide open."

'Mistake' to focus solely on Keystone

Clinton was also asked about the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project, which U.S. President Barack Obama was expected to decide months ago and is now facing an uncertain timeline.

Clinton declined to say whether or not she is in favour of the project. However, she said Canada, the United States, and Mexico should be focused on a broader energy plan.

"I think we're making a mistake focusing on just one item," she said.

"What I would like to see, regardless of how the decision on Keystone turns out… there should be a concerted effort by Canada and the United States to come up with a 21st century energy policy that emphasizes clean, renewable energy and energy efficiency. There's so much synergy that we could be engaged in across our border."

Canada and the U.S. could work on co-ordinating electricity grids or implementing energy tax incentives on both sides of the border, she said. Different energy sources could be developed together, such as sun, wind, geothermal, nuclear and others.

If North America doesn't reinvent its energy industries, other countries will step in, she warned.

"We have so many advantages."