Support among Manitoba Liberals for ‘a son of the Prairies’ Carney outperforms national average in several ridings
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/03/2025 (580 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Mark Carney’s focus on growth, prosperity and a strong Canada has resonated with Manitobans, the province’s only federal cabinet minister said after the Liberal party crowned its new leader.
Carney took victory Sunday night with 85.9 per cent of the Liberal electorate behind him, trouncing former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, who was the second-place finisher with 8 per cent.
The former Bank of Canada governor outperformed that national average in six of 14 ridings in Manitoba, including three that are entirely or partially within Winnipeg. That includes Sport Minister Terry Duguid’s riding of Winnipeg South, at 87.64 per cent, according to data released by the party.
JUSTIN TANG / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Mark Carney is expected to be sworn in by the governor general later this week, following Justin Trudeau’s resignation.
Duguid did not endorse a candidate for leadership due to his role as co-chair of the party’s national campaign committee.
“Mr. Carney is a son of the Prairies,” said Duguid, who is also the minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada. “He is focused on the economy like a laser beam. He’s focused on growth. And I know that message is very, very much resonating in in the Prairie heartland.”
Carney’s win marks a departure from the Trudeau era, with the prime minister-designate focusing on fiscal responsibility and economic strength. In his victory speech Sunday, Carney gave little airtime to Trudeau’s progressive hallmarks, such as reconciliation and climate change.
Carney is being viewed by Liberals as the best candidate to respond to U.S. President Donald Trump, who launched a trade war against Canada and made comments about it becoming the 51st U.S. state.
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Carney is expected to be sworn in by the governor general later this week, following Trudeau’s resignation. He will then form a new cabinet. The Globe and Mail has reported an election could come quickly — either April 28 or May 5, per Carney insiders.
Duguid, who was first elected in 2015, said he believes Carney’s messaging will result in growth in the number of seats held by the Liberals in Manitoba (currently four), noting the party’s messaging hasn’t always resonated with Western Canadians.
“He knows the importance of resource-based economies, he knows the importance of the agricultural economy — an economy in the Prairies that is under threat right now — and he is prepared to stand up to Donald Trump,” Duguid said.
Asked if he hopes to keep a cabinet position under Carney’s leadership, Duguid said he would serve in any way that the prime minister requested.
“We’re nominating candidates at a very rapid rate. We’re raising funds to ensure that we’ll have a fully financed campaign,” he said, adding the Liberals will have a full slate of 14 candidates.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg South MP Terry Duguid said he believes Carney’s messaging will result in more seats held by the Liberals in Manitoba.
Winnipeg South Centre MP Ben Carr, who had endorsed Freeland, told the Free Press Monday that while he has “tremendous” respect for the former finance minister, his endorsement was never in opposition to Carney.
“Mark is the person for the moment,” Carr said. “Mark is the type of serious leader, with a demonstrated track record of success, demonstrated ability to be calm and cool and collected under pressure, which is what we require at the helm of our government as we face immense challenges.”
Referencing Carney’s upbringing in Edmonton, Carr said he has “Prairie pragmatism about him.”
Carr positioned Carney as the clear choice when contrasted with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who he said has spent “the entirety of his adult life as a sloganeering, hostile, aggressive bully in the House of Commons.”
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg South Centre MP Ben Carr positioned Carney as the clear choice when contrasted with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
As for what’s next, Carr said he supports an election call in the “very near future.”
Kelly Saunders, a professor in the department of political science at Brandon University, called Carney’s win a “a huge endorsement.”
She sad Carney took an aggressive tone with both Poilievre and the U.S. in his speech, noting it was similar to Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew’s.
Carney’s focus on bringing Canada together — “in a Canada strong, Team Canada approach” — rather than dividing it further, reminded her of Kinew’s recent messaging.
“Our own premier has been quite direct, and, I think, quite forceful about saying we’re going to keep the tariffs on — the retaliatory tariffs — even though Donald Trump is one day they’re on, one day they’re paused,” she said.
Kinew congratulated Carney Monday, saying he hopes the incoming prime minister will bring the premiers together soon to discuss the U.S. trade situation.
“What he’s done is a big personal accomplishment but, most importantly, important to the country right now given the situation with Mr. Trump. Being elected the leader of the party is always significant, but being elected to that role so that you become the prime minister in the midst of a trade war with the U.S. is very, very significant,” Kinew told reporters in his office.
“Our team will be there to work with him and to present that solid Team Canada approach with respect to the U.S. right now,” said the premier, who met Carney on a trip to Washington, D.C. a year ago as part of a “charm offensive” ahead of the U.S. presidential election.
Kinew said it appears a federal election will be held soon, and that the Manitoba government is committed to working with whoever is elected “to stand up for the good of our nation.”
— with files from Carol Sanders
marsha.mcleod@freepress.mb.ca
Marsha McLeod
Investigative reporter
Signal
Marsha McLeod is an investigative reporter at the Free Press. She joined the Free Press in 2023. Read more about Marsha.
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