Federal Liberals choose new national director as by-elections loom

Political analyst Lori Turnbull says Carney has ‘some political capital’ and will hope to keep a Liberal majority in the byelections.

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal party says it has chosen career lawyer Jessica Cardill as the party’s new national director, filling a crucial backroom post that oversees daily operations and ensures the party is prepared for elections.

The federal Liberals say in a news release that Cardill worked as counsel for the party for more than five years and has experience in political operations and election campaigns.

She spent roughly the past year working in the private sector at the government relations and lobby firm Barrack Hill Public Affairs.

Cardill replaces Azam Ishmael, who stepped down in May and joined the Canadian Medical Association in a senior role.

Ishmael served as national director for the Liberals for roughly a decade under former party leader Justin Trudeau.

The party will contest three byelections set for Aug. 31 and needs to win at least one to maintain its majority in the House of Commons.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 6, 2026.

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press