From Parliament Hill to the Cottage Dock: Prime Minister Mark Carney Joins Heated Rivalry Stars and Creators at CMPA Prime Time
Prime Minister Mark Carney brought a touch of cottage-country heat to the nation’s capital tonight, stepping onto the red carpet at the Canadian Media Producers Association’s (CMPA) annual Prime Time conference in Ottawa alongside the stars and creative minds behind Crave’s breakout Original series, Heated Rivalry.
Carney was joined by series leads Hudson Williams and Sophie Nélisse, as well as Creator, Writer, Director, and Executive Producer Jacob Tierney and Executive Producer Brendan Brady, marking a high-profile moment celebrating Canadian storytelling on the global stage.
In addition to greeting attendees and media, the Prime Minister addressed conference delegates before making a surprise appearance at an In Conversation With Heated Rivalry panel. The session featured Williams, Nélisse (Rose), Tierney, Brady, and was moderated by etalk’s Lainey Lui. Audiences were treated to exclusive clips and behind-the-scenes insights, offering a deeper look at the creative vision and leadership driving one of Canada’s most talked-about television successes.
Additional remarks throughout the evening were delivered by Valerie Creighton, CEO of the Canada Media Fund; Sean Cohan, President of Bell Media; Reynolds Mastin, President and CEO of CMPA; and Kyle Irving, Chair of the CMPA Board of Directors.
Since its debut, Heated Rivalry has grown from a proudly Canadian production into a global cultural phenomenon. The series has been widely praised for subverting traditional depictions of masculinity in sports and for its joyful, authentic portrayal of queer love and relationships—earning both critical acclaim and a passionate international fanbase.
Heated Rivalry is currently streaming on Crave in Canada; HBO Max in the United States; across Europe (excluding the UK and Ireland, Spain, and Turkey); Australia; Asia (including Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Macau, Sri Lanka, and Nepal); Latin America; Sky and NOW in the UK and Ireland; Movistar Plus+ in Spain; and NEON in New Zealand.
Photography Credit: George Pimentel for CMPA