Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals won Monday’s byelection in the B.C. riding of North Vancouver-Capilano. While the party’s candidate, Braeden Caley, was a relative unknown in the riding, he’s a familiar face on Parliament Hill, having formerly worked as Carney’s deputy chief of staff. “I’m going to work really hard to take the trust that’s been turned into a really strong turnout tonight into real results for people here,” Caley said, addressing a boisterous crowd of supporters. Conservative candidate Stephen Curran conceded defeat just before 9 p.m. PT. An hour later, with the vast majority of polls reporting, the Liberals had taken 58.4 per cent of the vote. The Conservatives had 28.6 per cent. The Green Party candidate was in third place, with 9.0 per cent of the votes—almost triple the NDP’s 3.4 per cent. Locals casting their ballots told CTV News the prime minister’s handling of the trade war with the United States was one of the key factors driving their decision to vote Liberal. However, the riding had also been held by the party since 2015. “This is an incredibly important moment for the country—economically and for our own independence,” Caley said. “We want to make sure that we have the strongest response as a country to tariffs, that our businesses and workers in B.C. are protected. I’m going to work with all parties, all governments, to try to make sure we deliver.” The win in the B.C. riding came after Liberal victories in ridings in Quebec and Ontario—cementing a majority for the Liberals. Carney, in a statement, thanked both candidates and voters. “At this consequential time for Canada, voters have placed their trust in our government’s plan. We accept their support with humility and determination,” he wrote. “Canada is being tested in a changing world, and Canadians are up for it.”
