Mark Carney wins Liberal leadership race

Mark Carney has been elected as the new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada. Carney clinched victory decisively on the first ballot, in a race that was set in motion earlier this year by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation. Recap our live coverage of the Liberal convention, key speeches, the first-ballot-win results, and the post-victory play-by-play.

8 p.m. EDT: CTV News’ Special Liberal Leadership coverage wraps

And there you have it. That brings an end to our special live coverage of the Liberal Party of Canada’s 2025 leadership race results.

But, there are many major news days ahead. From Trudeau’s official transition of power as prime minister to Carney, the ex-central banker’s naming of a new cabinet, and then of course what happens with Parliament’s recall or a snap election call. For all of that, stay tuned to CTV News across platforms.

–Rachel Aiello

7:45 p.m. EDT: Crowd thinning at Liberal convention

Now that Carney’s speech has concluded the crowd gathered in Ottawa is starting to thin, as many Liberals descend on the nearby bars and restaurants to keep their celebrations going.

Ahead of the formal program kicking off, the party members I was speaking to on the convention floor said the gathering was as much a reunion for Liberal staffers who have left the Hill over the last few years, as it is an exciting turning of the page for a party that is back in competition in the polls.

It was in this very room back in December that Trudeau addressed the Liberal holiday party amid intensifying pressure for him to step down, the mood then was quite different.

–Rachel Aiello

7:30 p.m. EDT.: Chretien on Carney’s landslide win

Carney’s landslide win is a sign that the people know that we’re facing difficult times and we have to make up our minds, former prime minister Jean Chretien told Vassy Kapelos, sitting beside Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, another politician from Shawinigan, Que.

“People know that he’s a very competent person … and they want him to use his talent to face the challenge that we have at this moment,” he said.

“We’re going to rebuild this country like never before,” Champagne added.

–Mary Nersessian

7:10 p.m. EDT Carney debuts “Canada strong” slogan

As Carney left the stage he debuted what may become his new rallying phrase: “Canada strong,” before exiting to a rock song from Canadian band Down With Webster.“It’s time to win. I built my soul on rock and roll. Then someone told me kids don’t rock no more Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! it’s time to win,” are the lyrics.

–Rachel Aiello

6:50 p.m. EDT: Carney addresses party for first time as leader

Liberal Leader Mark Carney is delivering a rallying speech to the Liberals who travelled from across the country to witness this moment in history.

In his speech, the prime minister-designate says Canadians know that “new threats demand new ideas and a new plan.””They know that new challenges demand new leadership. Canadians want positive leadership that will end division and help us build together. In response, my government will put into action our plan to build a stronger economy, to create new trading relationships with reliable partners, and to secure our borders.”

–Rachel Aiello

6:42 p.m. EDT: Liberal leadership vote breakdown

Mark Carney won the Liberal leadership vote handily, with 131,674 votes compared to Chrystia Freeland’s 11,134. The Liberal Party posted an infographic detailing the breakdown in a post that also thanked all the candidates.

–Mary Nersessian

6:32 p.m. EDT: Results are in, Mark Carney wins

After maintaining frontrunner status throughout the two-month race, the former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor will become this country’s next prime minister within days.

As Party President Sachit Mehra revealed, Carney beat out former finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland, former cabinet minister Karina Gould, and businessman and former Liberal MP Frank Baylis.“Together, we are ready for the year ahead,” Mehra said, noting the looming 2025 election. “We need to knock on doors, make those calls, and chip in where we can, because only together will we win the fight for a strong Canada.”

–Rachel Aiello

6:30 p.m. EDT: Results envelope is on stage

Party President Sachit Mehra is about to reveal the winner of the Liberal leadership race.

–Rachel Aiello

6:10 p.m. EDT: Build a pipeline from Alberta to Quebec, urges Chretien

Addressing the “elephant in the room,” Chretien said Canada has every right to retaliate the way it has in the ongoing trade war with the U.S.

In fact, he said Canada should go further -– imposing an export tax on oil, gas, potash, aluminum and electricity.He said Canada should use the income generated by that tax to build infrastructure, including a natural gas pipeline from Alberta to Quebec.

–Phil Hahn

6:10 p.m. EDT: Chretien gives Trump a history lesson

“We are going to be living in very difficult times but I’m confident, I’m very confident that the next prime minister will work with the premiers, the leaders of all the political parties in the House of Commons, and allies around the world, to stand together to meet the challenges that Mr. Trump is creating for the whole world,” said Chretien.

Speaking of the president, Chretien said, it was time for a history lesson: Benjamin Franklin spent a year in Montreal trying to convince the people to join the American Revolution, and he was told by the francophones: “Non, merci.”

–Mary Nersessian

5:58 p.m. EDT: Former prime minister Jean Chretien takes the stage

Chretien said he remembers attending the Liberal Party convention back in 1958 when Lester Pearson defeated Paul Martin Sr. to become party leader. He quipped that many people attending today’s convention were probably not alive then.

He touted Liberal past accomplishments, including Medicare, the Charter of Rights, two official languages, putting Indigenous rights into the Constintution, tough gun control laws, affirmative action, same-sex marriage and making women’s right to choose a priority.

He thanked Trudeau for his leadership, and said “Canada is not broken” — alluding to a comment made in the past by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and said despite attacks by critics, Canada has the lowest debt per capita in the G7 — more than five times lower than the U.S.

–Phil Hahn

5:52 p.m. EDT: Trudeau leaves stage to chants of his name

Concluding his final speech as Liberal leader, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau walked off stage to chants of “Trudeau, Trudeau.”

Noting here, that during his last weekend as Liberal leader, Trudeau spent time in his Montreal riding of Papineau, where he thanked his constituents for their support over the last 17 years that he’s been their MP.

Met with applause and cheers of “Justin,” according to the pool reporter on-scene, Trudeau told those gathered at the fundraiser that any proceeds raised would be used to support the candidate who will run to replace him in his riding, in the next federal election.

–Rachel Aiello

5:49 p.m. EDT: Trudeau thanks photog and chief of staff

In his speech, Trudeau made a point of specifically thanking two of his staffers who have been with him all the way from his leadership race days.

The prime minister thanked his photographer Adam Scotti, and his chief of staff Katie Telford for their years of work and support. He said he’d like to offer them a break now, but given what the party is staring down, he knows they’d answer the call if asked to carry on.

–Rachel Aiello

5:45 p.m. EDT: Trudeau ‘damn proud’ of last 10 years

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on stage at the Liberal leadership convention, delivering his last speech at the helm.“I am damn proud of what we’ve done,” Trudeau said in his speech to Liberal loyalists, marking the end of his nearly 12-year run as leader of the Liberal Party of Canada that saw him rebuild the political organization, refresh its brand and catapult the party back into power.It was in April 2013 that the man who once vowed he’d “never” be a politician clinched the party’s top job with nearly 80 per cent of the vote, promising “to do the hard work that is required.”

–Rachel Aiello

5:35 p.m. EDT: Ella Grace Trudeau introducing her dad

Justin Trudeau’s 16-year-old daughter Ella Grace is now on stage, introducing her dad. “It’s not that easy to be the kid of a prime minister,” she says, noting her father always listened and understood. She says she’s looking forward to seeing less of him online, and more of him at home. “Dad, I am so proud of you.”

–Rachel Aiello

5:23 p.m. EDT: Carney arrives, crowd chants his name

Mark Carney was the last leadership candidate to arrive in the room.

He said that whatever the results are he will be proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the winner and work with Liberals across the country in service of Canada. “Vive le Canada,” he said before people in the crowd started chanting “Carney.”

–Rachel Aiello

5:15 p.m. EDT: Gould thanks Liberals

Speaking to the crowd of loyal Liberals gathered to learn who has won the race to be the party’s next leader, Karina Gould said the Liberal Party of Canada has been strengthened by all who have registered and had their voice heard in this race.

“This leadership race has shown there are so many Canadians who are ready to stand strong for Canada,” she said.

–Rachel Aiello

5:08 p.m. EDT: Freeland enters to Nelly Furtado’s ‘Maneater’

As she did when she kicked off her campaign – former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland has entered the room to Canadian pop singer Nelly Furtado’s “Maneater.”

She was backed on stage with her husband and children, and was wearing her signature red blazer and string of pearls combination.

–Rachel Aiello

5:00 p.m. EDT: Official program gets underway

The official event has kicked off here in the nation’s capital, one by one each candidate is being introduced and is entering the room, weaving through the crowds before hitting the stage to make some introductory remarks.

–Rachel Aiello

4:50 p.m. EDT ‘A great day for the Liberal Party’

On her way in to the leadership event, candidate Karina Gould said it is a “great day for the Liberal Party of Canada” and for the country as a whole.

She said she’s hearing a lot of excitement from supporters.

When asked whether she would take a role in another candidate’s cabinet if she doesn’t win, Gould said her message has always been that she wants to serve Canadians, and so if she was asked to, “absolutely.”

–Rachel Aiello

4:45 p.m. EDT: Liberals tallying ballots

Voting in the leadership race began Feb. 26, online. It continued up until 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, and tallying of the results is now underway.Of the nearly 400,000 Liberals who registered to participate in this election, ultimately 151,899 votes were cast.

The party said that as of Sunday morning, more than 163,000 had completed the verification process, so it appears that not all who managed to get verified, ended up casting a ballot in the end.While some voters have run into issues with the party’s electronic voter ID verification processes, party spokesperson Parker Lund has said the system is working as it should to ensure a secure vote.

For come context, the last time the Liberals ran a leadership race was in 2013, when the party was selecting a leader to steer them through third-party status. In that campaign, around 127,000 voters were registered, of nearly 300,000 who signed up. Approximately 104,000 ballots were cast.

–Rachel Aiello

4:30 p.m. EDT: Nik Nanos on his polling

“Key takeaway here is for a majority of Canadians they are fixated on Donald Trump and fixated on what it might mean for jobs and the economy,” pollster Nik Nanos told Vassy Kapelos about his recent polling.

“For once I think there is a little bit of political consensus” between Liberals, Conservatives and the New Democrats, he added.

–Mary Nersessian

4:25 p.m. EDT: Foreign Minister Joly on floor of convention

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, speaking to CTV News’ senior political correspondent Mike Le Couteur from the floor of the leadership convention said her focus is making sure that no matter who wins, they are ready to jump into Canada-U.S. trade talks.“We will continue to defend Canadian jobs,” Joly said. “We will keep the pressure on.”

–Rachel Aiello

4:23 p.m. EDT: Nik Nanos on the vote

We’re looking at an election that’s probably going to be about who can best manage the relationship with the U.S. administration, CTV News pollster Nik Nanos told Vassy Kapelos. “It’s still too early to tell,” whose advantage that will be, he added.

–Mary Nersessian

4:05 p.m. EDT: Inside the convention centre

Welcome to our live digital coverage of the Liberal Party of Canada’s leadership race results reveal. I’m inside the convention centre where the party has held many past holiday events and conventions, and is where loyalists will soon learn who their next leader will be. The energy is building.

–Rachel Aiello