Liberals win byelections in Toronto and Quebec, hold majority government

The Liberal Party retained two federal ridings in byelections held Tuesday night, Sept. 1, preserving its parliamentary majority as political tensions with the United States intensify over tariffs and trade.

Liberal candidate Tanveer Shahnawaz won Beaches-East York in Toronto, where the party had held the seat for more than a decade. Shahnawaz, described by former MP Nate Erskine-Smith as someone who deeply knows the community, captured the seat with strong early support. In Chicoutimi-Le Fjord, Quebec, Liberal candidate Daniel Gobeil flipped the riding from Conservative control, marking a significant pickup for the governing party in a region where the Bloc Québécois also competed.

The third byelection in North Vancouver-Capilano remained incomplete at the time of reporting, though early results suggested a competitive race. Liberal candidate Braeden Caley, who recently served as deputy chief of staff to Prime Minister Mark Carney, faced opposition criticism over his relatively short time as a resident of the riding. The seat had been held comfortably by the Liberals in recent years, with Jonathan Wilkinson winning it with 59.8 per cent of the vote in the 2025 federal election.

Vancouver Liberal MP Taleeb Noormohamed expressed confidence in his party's prospects, telling reporters that voters are seeking stability and want to send a message of Canadian unity to the U.S. "People are looking for stability, and that's what our party offers," he said. "When it comes to what he's been hearing from people in the community, they want to send a message to Trump that we're behind our prime minister, that we're united as Canadians and we will fight like hell in order to protect Canada."

The byelections come amid renewed trade tensions with Washington. Premier Danielle Smith has indicated Alberta hopes federal negotiators will return to the table after a collapse in trade talks.