Liberal Party of Canada faithful in Greater Sudbury's two ridings joined with their counterparts across Canada in choosing an unelected central banker as party leader.
In the Sudbur riding, Mark Carney received 495 votes, compared to 38 for Chrystia Freeland, 11 for Karina Gould and 11 for Frank Baylis. In the new riding of Sudbury East-Manitoulin-Nickel Belt (which is replacing the federal Nickel Belt riding as of the next federal election), Carney was just as strong, pulling 263 votes to Freeland's 22, with 10 for Gould and seven for Baylis.
A total of 151,899 votes were cast across Canada.
Once Justin Trudeau has officially stepped down as prime minister, once he's provided Carney’s name to the governor general as his replacement, Carney will be named Canada's 24th prime minister. The length of Carney's tenure in that office will be decided by voters.
Carney headed the Bank of Canada during a world financial crisis in 2008. He also led the Bank of England through the Brexit controversy.
Sudbury MP Viviane Lapointe congratulated Carney in a Facebook post on Sunday.
"Congratulations Mark Carney!" the MP wrote. "Your experience and leadership will make all the difference for our country in this uncertain time.
We are stronger when we are united. Canada Strong."
Nickel Belt MP Marc Serré, whose riding will be fundamentally altered in the next federal election, has not put out a statement so far.
Sault MP Terry Sheehan did issue statement of March 9, congratulating Carney and saying he has the skills to help Canada face the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump.
"Today the Liberal Party chose Mark Carney to usher through a positive change for Canada," said Sault MP Terry Sheehan. "Mark has the experience and energy to lead Canada in the next four years as we face unprecedented 0threats from the Trump presidency.
"Mark has real business experience. Mark is cancelling the consumer carbon tax and replacing it with incentives. He will fight tariffs, diversify our economy and tear down provincial trade barriers. It’s time to build."
As Village Media reported yesterday, Carney doesn’t have a seat in the House of Commons and has so far not disclosed where he'll run in the next election.
The following are local votes for other northern Ontario electoral districts:
Kapuskasing–Timmins–Mushkegowuk
- Mark Carney – 203
- Chrystia Freeland – 16
- Karina Gould – 6
- Frank Baylis – 2
Kenora–Kiiwetinoong
- Mark Carney – 169
- Chrystia Freeland – 15
- Karina Gould – 5
- Frank Baylis – 5
Nipissing—Timiskaming
- Mark Carney – 361
- Chrystia Freeland – 35
- Karina Gould – 13
- Frank Baylis – 6
Sudbury
- Mark Carney – 495
- Chrystia Freeland – 38
- Karina Gould – 11
- Frank Baylis – 11
Sudbury East–Manitoulin–Nickel Belt
- Mark Carney – 263
- Chrystia Freeland – 22
- Karina Gould – 10
- Frank Baylis – 7
Thunder Bay–Rainy River
- Mark Carney – 281
- Chrystia Freeland – 241
- Karina Gould – 5
- Frank Baylis – 4
Thunder Bay–Superior North
- Mark Carney – 340
- Chrystia Freeland – 27
- Karina Gould – 9
- Frank Baylis – 7