2025 Liberal Leadership Convention March 27, 2025 Share Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Reddit Share on LinkedIn Email Janet Roberts, Hilary Williamson, Brigitte Lagacé, Sheila Bryan What a day it was! Thousands of Liberals showed up at the Roger’s Centre in Ottawa on March 9th, excited and energized by the Leadership Race – fairly sure how it would turn out, but on tenterhooks as who knows what might happen? This was the culmination of many weeks of fast and furious preparation – by the Party’s National Board, candidate volunteer teams, and Liberal Party staff – after then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on January 6th his plan to step down. Liberals volunteered in droves for their preferred candidates: world renowned economist Mark Carney, former Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland, MP Karina Gould (the youngest female cabinet minister) and successful entrepreneur and former MP Frank Baylis. After hearing both French and English debates in Montreal, we can expect great things from all four – but one stood out. The Right Honourable Mark Carney is now Leader of the Liberal Party and Prime Minister of Canada. Before the announcement, Liberals (at the Roger’s Centre and watching at home or in watch parties from coast to coast to coast) were privileged to hear from each candidate. Then, in a touching moment, Ella-Grace Trudeau shared (with a poise that belied her youth) her great pride in her dad, but also her happiness to be having more time with him – and less coverage in social media. The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau spoke warm words of farewell – and inspiration – to the Party he led to victory in 2015, 2019 and 2021. The Right Honorable Jean Chrétien, shared Canada’s history with foreign aggressors and ended by advising, ‘one old man to another’, that President Trump ‘stop this nonsense’! When results were announced, the audience exploded, and Cleo Carney introduced her father to us, with confidence and pride. Both daughters impressed, leading Mark Carney to joke ‘Prime Minister, I think it’s clear we should just skip a generation.’ Last, but never least, our new Party Leader took a strong tone, saying ‘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.’ Of Poilievre he said ‘Pierre Poilievre would let our planet burn.’ He commented ‘So, so Donald Trump thinks — thinks — he can weaken us with his plan to divide and conquer. Pierre Poilievre’s plan will leave us divided and ready to be conquered’. The Right Honourable Mark Carney called for extraordinary efforts from all Canadians to keep Canada Strong. The response demonstrated that Liberals are fired up and ready to fight! What has impressed me most about Mr. Carney is that he comes across as the quintessential Canadian – polite, modest, with a self-deprecating sense of humour, but steely underneath. Such a contrast with both the Conservative Leader and US President! When our new PM called for Canada Strong, all present recognized that he would do his very best and work very hard to make it so. Vive le Canada! Senior Liberals’ Commission Chair Hilary Williamson