TORONTO – Danielle Martin will soon head to the House of Commons after winning a byelection for the Liberals in the Toronto riding of University—Rosedale on Monday.
A family physician, Martin has served as executive vice-president of Women’s College Hospital. She has also led the department of family and community medicine at the University of Toronto.
In 2014, Martin appeared before a United States Senate subcommittee to speak about Canada’s public health care system.
Martin’s win — the first to be called Monday — secured a razor-thin majority government for Prime Minister Mark Carney. Her opponents included Conservative Don Hodgson and New Democrat Serena Purdy.
Several dozen of Martin’s supporters gathered at El Mocambo in central Toronto, chanting “Canada strong!” Many began to applaud as initial results in University-Rosedale showed Martin in the lead.
Speaking on stage Monday night, Martin said she was “humbled” by the win.
“As of tonight, Mark Carney and our entire incredible Liberal team have earned an even more powerful mandate to continue building a better Canada,” she said. “This is not a mandate to be quiet. It is not a mandate to take our time. It is a mandate to get to work.”
Pointing out that voters chose to send a family doctor to Parliament, Martin said that good physicians share two skills: listening and building relationships.
“I commit to bringing both of those with me to this community and to Ottawa,” she said.
“The other part of it is building. Building the services and the teams and the institutions that show up for real people in the hardest moments of their lives. That is what most of my career has been about, building, and there is a lot of great building ahead. A lot.”
The riding was held by former Liberal MP Chrystia Freeland from 2015 until January.
Freeland, who had served as deputy prime minister, resigned earlier this year to serve in an economic advisory role to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Freeland congratulated Martin on social media.
“I know you will be a wonderful representative for our amazing community,” she said.
Carney said on social media that Martin has spent her career “building better public health care for Torontonians and all Canadians.
“Now she’s bringing her experience and determination to the House of Commons, and our country will be stronger for it,” said Carney.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2026.
— By Catherine Morrison in Ottawa and Rianna Lim in Toronto
