Mark Carney has been elected as the new leader of Canada’s Liberal Party in a months-long, high-stakes race to replace outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Carney, the former governor of both the Bank of England and the Bank of Canada, is now tasked with leading the party into the next federal elections, which must occur before October 2025, though they could be called sooner.
Carney’s leadership comes amid rising tensions with the United States, where President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed Canada for illegal immigration, threatened to turn Canada into a 51st state, and imposed tariffs on Canadian imports, citing the need to address the flow of fentanyl over its borders.
In his first remarks following the leadership vote, Carney highlighted these ongoing issues, vowing to create new trade relationships with reliable partners and to maintain retaliatory tariffs on the US “until the Americans show us respect.” Speaking at the Liberal Party convention, Carney stressed, “New threats demand new ideas and a new plan.”
He didn’t hold back when addressing the Trump administration’s tariff strategy, declaring, “He’s attacking Canadian families, workers, and businesses and we cannot let him succeed and we won’t.” Carney confidently added, “In trade as in hockey, Canada will win.”
The impact of the deteriorating relationship with the US has been felt across Canadian society, with some fans at NHL and NBA games booing the US national anthem, reflecting growing anti-American sentiment in response to the escalating trade dispute.
Now, Carney faces Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who has distanced himself from Trump despite earlier comparisons between the two. At a rally ahead of the Liberal vote, Poilievre criticized Carney, saying, “Working for Trudeau, Carney made Canada weaker and poorer; working for himself Carney made the United States richer and stronger.”
Carney responded to Poilievre’s remarks, emphasizing the importance of unity, stating, “Donald Trump thinks he can weaken us with his plan to divide and conquer. Pierre Poilievre’s plan will leave us divided and ready to be conquered.”
As the election approaches, the Conservatives have led in the polls, though that advantage has been narrowing as Carney and other Liberal figures have strongly criticized the US tariffs and the broader economic strain. Trudeau, who has led the Liberal Party for over a decade, is stepping down after a series of political crises, rising economic discontent, and the surprise resignation of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Trudeau, in his final remarks as party leader, warned that Canada is facing an “existential challenge” from the US. “This is a nation-defining moment,” Trudeau told the Liberal leadership convention. “And now, as Canadians face from our neighbor an existential challenge, an economic crisis, Canadians are showing exactly what we are made of.”
Carney, a former finance expert and UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance, has emphasized clean energy, climate policies, and economic prosperity as central aspects of his platform. His economic vision includes leveraging Canada’s natural resources and becoming a leader in clean energy to increase competitiveness on the global stage.
One of Carney’s key proposals is shifting the financial burden of the carbon tax from consumers to large corporations, replacing the current tax on fuel for small businesses and consumers with incentives to reduce carbon emissions.
Carney has not shied away from addressing the Trump administration directly. After the US imposed tariffs last month and accused Canada of trafficking fentanyl, Carney told CNN he was “offended” by the claims, given the long-standing friendship between the two nations. “We are a proud, independent nation. We view ourselves as the greatest country on Earth. We have been insulted on multiple occasions by senior members of the administration. We are not going to reciprocate in those insults,” Carney stated.
With Carney now at the helm, the Liberal Party is gearing up for a contentious and highly competitive race against the Conservatives as Canada prepares for what could be a defining election.
