Mark Carney Chosen by Canada’s Liberals to Succeed Justin Trudeau
The newly appointed leader of the Liberal Party faces a monumental challenge right from the start: "defend Canada from Donald Trump."
TroibNews 
OTTAWA — Mark Carney, a newcomer to the political scene but a seasoned banker with considerable experience managing state financial institutions in times of crisis, emerged victorious in the race to succeed Justin Trudeau as leader of the Liberal Party on Sunday. His primary challenge as he steps into this role is to safeguard Canada from Donald Trump.
“America is not Canada. And Canada never, ever, will be part of America in any way, shape or form,” Carney stated during his victory speech. “We didn’t ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves.”
At a convention center in Ottawa, close to Parliament Hill, members of the governing Liberal Party elected Carney overwhelmingly on the first ballot. He is set to be sworn in as Canada’s 24th prime minister in the coming days.
The emergence of Trump has significantly altered the political dynamics in Canada, marking a resurgence for the governing Liberals after years of challenge. One of Carney's initial decisions will involve whether to call a snap election amid ongoing trade tensions. He has labeled Trump's repeated tariff threats as an “economic and sovereign crisis.”
“The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country,” Carney emphasized. “Think about it. If they succeed, they will destroy our way of life.”
In his farewell address, Trudeau remarked that Canada is at a critical juncture. “Democracy is not a given. Freedom is not a given. Even Canada is not a given,” he noted.
Carney ran for leadership on the strength of his reputation as a crisis manager, asserting that he is the right individual to confront Trump. He faced off against former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who cautioned that the nation's response to the president “will define us for a generation, and perhaps longer.”
Concerns about Trump now dominate Canadian priorities, with jobs, inflation, and economic issues following closely behind. With approximately 90 percent of Canadians residing within 150 miles of the U.S. border, dissatisfaction with the American president is growing, especially as he continues to suggest annexing Canada.
Carney, who has served as the governor of central banks in Canada and the U.K., is in favor of implementing retaliatory tariffs on a dollar-for-dollar basis. He has made it clear that one of his early tasks as prime minister will be to put Trump “on notice” regarding U.S. reliance on Canadian energy, echoing Trudeau's sentiment that all options will be considered regarding supply cuts.
Carney assumes leadership at a tumultuous time for the Liberal Party. The ongoing trade war with the United States poses a risk to economic growth and could lead Canada into a recession. Additionally, he must tackle a persistent housing crisis and the lingering effects of inflation that continue to strain household finances.
In his campaign, he portrayed himself as a tough negotiator capable of thwarting Trump’s ambitions to “dominate the hemisphere" by taking control of Canada and Greenland. He also pledged to protect “language, culture and water” from Trump’s influence.
This isn't Carney's first public disagreement with Trump. In 2018, while serving as governor of the Bank of England, he openly criticized Trump’s tariff policies, stating in a speech that they would impede global economic growth. In 2020, during a speech at Davos, he sided with activist Greta Thunberg on climate issues, directly countering Trump’s views.
Trudeau led the Liberals since 2013 but announced his intention to step down once a new leader was chosen in January, despite wanting to remain for a fourth term. His resignation was precipitated by a caucus revolt stemming from declining poll numbers.
The Liberal Party has largely united behind Carney, who is seen as well-suited to navigate Canada's current challenges, particularly given his broad international connections. His previous roles include guiding Canada through the 2008 financial crisis as Bank of Canada governor and managing the U.K.’s response to Brexit as its central banker in 2020. Recently, he served as the U.N. special envoy for climate action and finance and began his career at Goldman Sachs.
There is rising speculation that Carney might call for an early election. Following Trudeau's leadership change, Parliament is set to reconvene on March 24, unless a snap election intervenes.
Trudeau has expressed no desire to remain in a caretaker role should an immediate election arise. “I look forward to a transition to my duly elected successor in the coming days or weeks,” he remarked on Thursday.
A federal election campaign may prove beneficial for the Liberal Party, which has struggled to connect with voters in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, high inflation, a housing shortage, and increased immigration.
Trump’s tariffs have bolstered the Liberal Party’s standing in opinion polls, indicating a competitive race is developing against the Conservative Party of Canada, which faces dwindling public support. Polling aggregator 338Canada shows the Liberals are now just 6 points behind the Conservatives, compared to a 25-point deficit before Trudeau’s resignation.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has had to clarify his stance to voters, dissociating himself from the MAGA movement as the Liberal Party attempts to draw parallels between his agenda and Trump’s populism.
Carney has revitalized a party that appeared to have lost hope under Trudeau, who has led since 2013. Recently, around 400,000 individuals joined the Liberal Party, indicating a surge in grassroots fundraising efforts. Even some ministers and caucus members who initially planned to retire are reconsidering, believing once again that their party has a viable chance of winning a fourth term in government.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
“America is not Canada. And Canada never, ever, will be part of America in any way, shape or form,” Carney stated during his victory speech. “We didn’t ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves.”
At a convention center in Ottawa, close to Parliament Hill, members of the governing Liberal Party elected Carney overwhelmingly on the first ballot. He is set to be sworn in as Canada’s 24th prime minister in the coming days.
The emergence of Trump has significantly altered the political dynamics in Canada, marking a resurgence for the governing Liberals after years of challenge. One of Carney's initial decisions will involve whether to call a snap election amid ongoing trade tensions. He has labeled Trump's repeated tariff threats as an “economic and sovereign crisis.”
“The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country,” Carney emphasized. “Think about it. If they succeed, they will destroy our way of life.”
In his farewell address, Trudeau remarked that Canada is at a critical juncture. “Democracy is not a given. Freedom is not a given. Even Canada is not a given,” he noted.
Carney ran for leadership on the strength of his reputation as a crisis manager, asserting that he is the right individual to confront Trump. He faced off against former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who cautioned that the nation's response to the president “will define us for a generation, and perhaps longer.”
Concerns about Trump now dominate Canadian priorities, with jobs, inflation, and economic issues following closely behind. With approximately 90 percent of Canadians residing within 150 miles of the U.S. border, dissatisfaction with the American president is growing, especially as he continues to suggest annexing Canada.
Carney, who has served as the governor of central banks in Canada and the U.K., is in favor of implementing retaliatory tariffs on a dollar-for-dollar basis. He has made it clear that one of his early tasks as prime minister will be to put Trump “on notice” regarding U.S. reliance on Canadian energy, echoing Trudeau's sentiment that all options will be considered regarding supply cuts.
Carney assumes leadership at a tumultuous time for the Liberal Party. The ongoing trade war with the United States poses a risk to economic growth and could lead Canada into a recession. Additionally, he must tackle a persistent housing crisis and the lingering effects of inflation that continue to strain household finances.
In his campaign, he portrayed himself as a tough negotiator capable of thwarting Trump’s ambitions to “dominate the hemisphere" by taking control of Canada and Greenland. He also pledged to protect “language, culture and water” from Trump’s influence.
This isn't Carney's first public disagreement with Trump. In 2018, while serving as governor of the Bank of England, he openly criticized Trump’s tariff policies, stating in a speech that they would impede global economic growth. In 2020, during a speech at Davos, he sided with activist Greta Thunberg on climate issues, directly countering Trump’s views.
Trudeau led the Liberals since 2013 but announced his intention to step down once a new leader was chosen in January, despite wanting to remain for a fourth term. His resignation was precipitated by a caucus revolt stemming from declining poll numbers.
The Liberal Party has largely united behind Carney, who is seen as well-suited to navigate Canada's current challenges, particularly given his broad international connections. His previous roles include guiding Canada through the 2008 financial crisis as Bank of Canada governor and managing the U.K.’s response to Brexit as its central banker in 2020. Recently, he served as the U.N. special envoy for climate action and finance and began his career at Goldman Sachs.
There is rising speculation that Carney might call for an early election. Following Trudeau's leadership change, Parliament is set to reconvene on March 24, unless a snap election intervenes.
Trudeau has expressed no desire to remain in a caretaker role should an immediate election arise. “I look forward to a transition to my duly elected successor in the coming days or weeks,” he remarked on Thursday.
A federal election campaign may prove beneficial for the Liberal Party, which has struggled to connect with voters in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, high inflation, a housing shortage, and increased immigration.
Trump’s tariffs have bolstered the Liberal Party’s standing in opinion polls, indicating a competitive race is developing against the Conservative Party of Canada, which faces dwindling public support. Polling aggregator 338Canada shows the Liberals are now just 6 points behind the Conservatives, compared to a 25-point deficit before Trudeau’s resignation.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has had to clarify his stance to voters, dissociating himself from the MAGA movement as the Liberal Party attempts to draw parallels between his agenda and Trump’s populism.
Carney has revitalized a party that appeared to have lost hope under Trudeau, who has led since 2013. Recently, around 400,000 individuals joined the Liberal Party, indicating a surge in grassroots fundraising efforts. Even some ministers and caucus members who initially planned to retire are reconsidering, believing once again that their party has a viable chance of winning a fourth term in government.
Ramin Sohrabi contributed to this report for TROIB News
