Phot credit: The Canadian Press.

By The Canadian Press/Curtis Galbraith

Liberal Leadership

Carney wins Liberal leadership, becomes prime minister-designate, in landslide win

Mar 9, 2025 | 4:59 PM

The Liberal Party of Canada has elected former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney as its new leader.

Grassroots members elected the former central banker to replace outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at a convention in downtown Ottawa, ending the party’s two-month long leadership race.

Carney won 85.9 per cent of the points in the leadership vote, compared to 8 per cent for former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minster Chrystia Freeland, 3.2 per cent for another former cabinet minster, Karina Gould, and 3 per cent for Frank Baylis.

This brings an end to an unusually short, two-month long leadership race called to replace outgoing leader Justin Trudeau.

Trudeau announced on Jan. 6 he would step down as leader due to intense internal pressure that he leaves for the good of his party as his unpopularity sank the Liberals in the polls.

But the party has since enjoyed a big bounce back ahead of a soon-to-come federal election.

Carney’s entrance into the political arena and U.S. President Donald Trump’s escalating threats to the economy have reinvigorated a party that was on the rocks just a few months ago.

Just under 152,000 party members across the country cast a ballot. There were 100 points available in each riding, says an entry on Wikipedia.

In his victory speech, Carney promised that his government would “immediately eliminate the divisive carbon tax.”

“And we will stop the hike in the capital gains tax because we think builders should be incentivized for taking risks and rewarded when they succeed.”

He also promised to leave tariffs on US goods in place until the Americans “show us respect.”

“And until they can join us in making credible and reliable commitments to free and fair trade,” adding, “in the meantime, we will ensure that all the proceeds, all the proceeds, from our tariffs will be used to protect our workers.”

Carney added “America is not Canada, and Canada never, ever will be part of America in any way, shape or form.”

“We didn’t ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves, so the Americans, they should make no mistake, in trade, as in hockey, Canada will win.”

Carney was born in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories and raised in Edmonton.