Full text: Read Mark Carney's election victory speech

Read Mark Carney’s full victory speech from election night. (Italicized portions were translated from French.) That is Napean. That is the spirit of Napean behind me, right there. Good evening, everyone. What an evening. I have a question. Who’s ready? Who’s ready — who’s ready — to stand up for Canada with me? And who’s ready — who’s ready — to build Canada strong? Okay, we got that settled. That’s good. Before I begin, I would like to congratulate the other party leaders on their campaign and all the work that they did. I want to thank them for their service to Canada — now and in the future. I want to thank the leaders of the other parties. I want to salute the contribution of Jagmeet Singh, and those remarks, leading our progressive values. Elizabeth May, who will be returning, Yves Francois Blanchet, and I want to congratulate Pierre Poilievre on a hard fought, fair, good campaign — his commitment to the country that we both love. They all have many, many more contributions to our land. Thank you, Diana. Thank you, Diana, for your work on this campaign. Thank you, Diana, for the commitment and compassion you bring to everything that you do. Tonight simply would not have been possible without you, and without the support of our four children who inspire me to service every single day. I also want to I also want to salute the women and men who put their name on the ballot, from all parties. Thank you for standing up to serve our country at this critical time, and for those who were elected, particularly those Liberals who were elected, I am looking forward to working together to deliver for Canadians. Bruce, hi. Bruce, yes, Bruce Fanjoy. I’m looking forward to working with Bruce. He will be a great MP. We’re gonna have fun. Of course, I want to thank the thousands of volunteers who are here tonight and across the country who gave their time who spoke to Canadians who spoke to their neighbours, who made the calls. The people who worked so hard so that we could make Canada strong. You know, I chose to enter politics, because I felt we needed big changes in this country, but big changes guided by strong Canadian values — values that I learned at the dinner table from my parents, Bob and Verlie, and from my siblings. I appreciate this more in retrospect, from my siblings, my siblings Brenda, Shawn and Brian. Values that I learned on the ice from my coaches; values that have been reinforced as I’ve met with Canadians across this great country, and those include three values that I want to highlight this evening: humility — it’s Canada after all — ambition — it’s Canada after all — and unity: It’s Canada. I love you, right back. Right back. These are good values. These are Canadian values, values that I will do my best. I’m just getting worked up here. These are values that I will do my best to uphold every day as your Prime Minister. You betcha. Okay, well, you have to judge after this next section, because I am going to begin, I am going to begin with the value of humility, and by admitting that I have much to be humble about. It’s true, over my long — it’s not an applause line, it’s just a statement of fact. Over my long career, I have made many mistakes, and I will make more, but I commit to admitting them openly, to correcting them quickly, and always learning from them. You know, humility underscores the importance of governing as a team in cabinet and in caucus and working constructively with all parties across Parliament, of working in partnership with the provinces and the territories and with Indigenous peoples. And at this time, it underscores the value of bringing together labour, business, civil society, to advance the nation-building investments we need to transform our economy. Humility is also about recognizing that one of the responsibilities of government is to prepare for the worst, not hope for the best, as I’ve been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country — never — but these are not. These are not idle threats: President Trump is trying to break us, so that America can own us. That will never — that will never, ever happen, but we — but we — also must recognize the reality that our world has fundamentally changed. There is also, for me, as I stand before you this evening, humility in recognizing that while, many have chosen to place your trust in me, trust in the Liberal Party, millions of our fellow citizens preferred a different outcome. And my message to every Canadian is this: no matter where you live, no matter what language you speak, no matter how you voted, I will always do my best to represent everyone who calls Canada home. You know, during this short during this short campaign, during this short campaign, I went to Saskatchewan and Alberta a couple of times. Even though we’re Liberals, it’s tough. It’s tough out there. I grew up there> But I went because I intend to govern for all Canadians. And, throughout this campaign, Quebecers opened their doors to me and gave me their confidence, and I have been deeply touched by that, and I want to thank you. The French language — Quebec culture — are at the very center of Canadian identity. They define this country, the country that I love so much, and I will defend them tirelessly. With my team of Quebec members of Parliament that you have just sent to Ottawa, we will ensure that Quebec will continue to prosper within a strong Canada. And whether you’re worker in Fort Mac or an accountant from Toronto or a worker from Quebec, my government will work for all of you. As we come here after this consequential, most consequential election, let’s put an end. Let’s put an end to the division and anger of the past. We are all Canadian, and my government will work for and with everyone. I began with humility, but Canadians are ambitious. And now more than ever, it is a time for ambition. It is a time to be bold, to meet this crisis with overwhelming positive force of a united Canada, because we, we are going to build. Build baby build. Throughout — well, no, we’re building now — we’ve gotten over that. Throughout — throughout — our history, there have been turning points. Throughout our history, there have been turning points when the world’s fortunes were in the balance. That was the case at the start of the Second World War, just as it was at the end of the Cold War, and each time Canada chose to step up, to assert ourselves as a free, sovereign and ambitious nation to lead the path of democracy and freedom, and because we are Canadian, to do so with compassion and generosity. We are, we are once again — we are once again — at one of those hinge moments of history, our old relationship with the United States, a relationship based on steadily increasing integration, is over. The system of open global trade anchored by the United States, a system that Canada has relied on since the Second World War, a system that, while not perfect, has helped deliver prosperity for a country for decades, is over. These are tragedies, but it’s also our new reality. We are over — we are over the shock of the American betrayal, but we should never forget the lessons. We have to look out for ourselves and above all, we have to take care of each other. Yay. When I sit down with President Trump, it will be to discuss the future economic and security relationship between two sovereign nations, and it will be with our full knowledge that we have many, many other options than the United States to build prosperity for all Canadians. We will strengthen our relations with reliable partners in Europe, Asia and elsewhere. And if the United States no longer wants to be in the forefront of the global economy, Canada will. We are masters in our own home. We will build millions of housing units. We will become an energy superpower. We will provide good careers in skilled trades and one economy, not 13. Because this is Canada, and we decide what happens here. We will need to think big and act bigger. Your phone’s ringing, all right, just hang on, it’s OK. Might be important. We will need to do things previously thought impossible at speeds we haven’t seen generations. It’s time to build twice as many homes every year with an entirely new housing industry using Canadian technology, Canadian skilled workers, Canadian lumber. It’s time to build new trade and energy corridors, working in partnership with the provinces, territories and Indigenous peoples. It’s time. It’s time to build hundreds of thousands of not just good jobs, but good careers in the skilled trades. It’s time to build Canada into an energy superpower in both clean and conventional energy. And it’s time to build an industrial strategy that makes Canada more competitive while fighting climate change. We will build one Canadian economy, not 13, with the government committed to free trade in Canada by Canada. The point is — the point is — that we can give ourselves far more than the Americans can ever take away. But even given that, I want to be clear, the coming days and months will be challenging, and they will call for some sacrifices, but we will share those sacrifices by supporting our workers and our businesses. The challenges ahead will be difficult, but that is clear, major changes, such as the ones we’re seeing are always concerning. We have a long way to go, but I’m confident. I’m confident. I trust you, and I have confidence in all of Canada. Because Canada is more than a nation. We are, and we always will be, a confederation, a sacred set of ideas and ideals built on practical foundations; that we know we’re not always perfect, but we always strive to be good. We do things — we do things — because they’re right, not because they’re easy, that we see kindness as a virtue, not as a weakness. Most importantly, we know that our strength lies in our resolve to work together as a country. It relies on our unity. You know, on the second day of this campaign, I went to Gander, where on 9/11 they welcomed thousands of passengers into their homes with. I sat down with two of the many heroes of the time, Diane Davis and Beulah Cooper, and during our conversation, they showed me a thank you card that they’d received from a young girl called Ellie wrote: your kindness motivates me to use my kindness. That touching phrase captures what Canadians instinctively know, that virtue is like a muscle that grows with its exercise. We become just by doing just acts brave by doing brave acts when we are kind. Kindness grows, when we seek unity, unity grows when we are Canadian, Canada grows. United — united, over our history — we have done hard, seemingly impossible, things. United, we have built one nation in harsh conditions, despite a sometimes hostile neighbour. Yes, they have form on this, the Americans. United, we have confronted our own past with Indigenous peoples. We built a country that brings together languages and cultures and beliefs that are different. We build critical cultural institutions such as CBC Radio Canada. United, united, we have created universal public health care. And now — and now — in the face of this crisis, united, we are buying Canadian, we are exploring everything this country has to offer. We are supporting our friends and neighbors in the crosshairs of President Trump, through a crisis that we did not create. United, we will win this trade war and build the strongest economy in the G7 an economy that works for everyone. In recent months, Canadians have done their their part. They came together to defend our country and our way of life, who we are, and I know that when we are threatened, we will fight. Fight back with everything we have to get the best deal for Canada. We will protect we will protect our workers and businesses, and above all, we will build an independent future for our great country, a future that makes the greatest country on the earth even better. Together, we will build a Canada worthy of our values. We will build Canada strong, Canada, free, Canada, forever. Viva la Canada. Thank you very much this. Merci Beaucoup