Mark Carney's Liberals sweep Canada by-elections

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal Party won three special elections on Monday, strengthening his parliamentary majority as Canada's trade dispute with the United States escalates.

The Liberals took Chicoutimi—Le Fjord in French-speaking Quebec from the opposition Conservatives and held two other districts in Ontario and British Columbia.

Carney congratulated the winning candidates on X, saying voters had “placed their trust” in the government “at this consequential time for Canada.”

Relations between Canada and the United States have worsened since trade talks collapsed last month. Carney said US negotiators had sought restrictions on Canada's trade agreements with other countries and made unacceptable “threats” to the French language and Quebec culture.

After Washington imposed 50 percent duties on Canada, Ottawa announced counter-tariffs of its own.

Carney replaced Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader and prime minister in March 2025 and won a general election a month later. The Liberals won the most seats but initially fell short of a majority, before an April by-election gave them enough seats to pass their economic agenda.