National News

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that freedom, democracy and Canada "are not a given" in his farewell speech to Liberals just before former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney was announced as the new Liberal leader. 

This comes as U.S. President Donald Trump threatens Canada with economic annexation and places tariffs on Canadian imports coming into the States.

"This is a nation-defining moment. Democracy is not a given. Freedom, it's not a given. Canada is not a given. None of those happen by accident. None of them will continue without effort," Trudeau said. 

Federal Liberals elected Mark Carney to lead their party into the next election in a resounding first-ballot victory on Sunday, putting him on track to soon become the next prime minister of Canada.

This brings an end to an unusually short, two-month long leadership race called to replace outgoing leader Justin Trudeau and clears the path for an expected early election call.

Liberals are gathering in Ottawa on the final day of their party's leadership contest to vote for who they think is best to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the helm.

Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney remains the presumed front runner and as of this weekend has lapped his opponents in fundraising figures by millions of dollars.

Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, Liberal lawmaker Karina Gould and Montreal businessman Frank Baylis are all vying for the party's top job.

Here's a look at some of this week's top news photos as selected by The Canadian Press editors.

Sean Baker, winner of the awards for best original screenplay, best film editing, best director, and best picture for "Anora," attends the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John Locher)

The Liberals will choose a new leader Sunday, marking the end of Justin Trudeau's decade as prime minister.

He will step down officially in the days to come. On Tuesday, Trudeau said he will have a conversation with the incoming leader to determine exactly when that will happen.

"It should happen reasonably quickly, but there's a lot of things to do in a transition like this, particularly in this complicated time in the world," Trudeau said.

Here's a look at what comes next.

A federal judge has dismissed a legal challenge of Justin Trudeau's move to prorogue Parliament, concluding the prime minister did not exceed the bounds of his authority.

Two Nova Scotia men had asked the Federal Court to declare the current suspension of Parliament illegal because there must be a "reasonable justification" for hitting the pause button. 

David MacKinnon of Amherst, N.S., and Aris Lavranos of Halifax sought an order setting aside Trudeau's January decision to advise Gov. Gen. Mary Simon to exercise her power to prorogue Parliament until March 24. 

The federal government is trying to secure extensions through to 2031 for its national $10-a-day child-care program ahead of an expected election, but is already facing a few snags.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday that 11 provinces and territories have agreed to extend the deals that give those jurisdictions billions of dollars to cut child-care fees for families.

Canada cannot go back to making families pay the equivalent of a mortgage payment for child care, he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that pauses tariffs on some Canadian imports linked to the auto industry that comply with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, and also lowers levies on potash to 10 per cent.

The order, read out in the Oval Office on Thursday, says the tariff relief is linked to maintaining the flow of parts to American car manufacturers and to helping farmers.

It was not clear exactly what would be included in the exemptions.

One day after he had what he describes as a "colourful call" with U.S.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick says he expects President Donald Trump will pause tariffs on Canada and Mexico until April 2.

Lutnick told CNBC he expects an agreement today on goods he says are compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade.

His comments come a day after Trump granted a one-month exemption for any vehicles coming through CUSMA after the Big Three automakers had a conversation with the president.