Mark Carney Becomes Canada’s Prime Minister at Crucial Moment
You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.
Mark Carney, a central banker turned politician, steps into his role at a crucial moment as President Trump sets his sights on Canada’s sovereignty and keeps threatening more tariffs.
Mark Carney, who has never held elected office but has a long résumé in economic policymaking and investing, was sworn in Friday morning as Canada’s 24th prime minister. He will have no time to ease into his role.
Canada is experiencing a period of severe instability as its relationship with its closest ally, the United States, has been plunged into an extraordinary crisis since President Trump was elected and began unleashing attacks on its economy and sovereignty.
Mr. Carney will attempt to negotiate with Mr. Trump, who has unfurled a slew of tariffs and threats on Canada including a desire to take over the country entirely, while simultaneously heading straight into a campaign for a federal election.
He does not hold a seat in Parliament, and his party controls only a minority of the seats in the House of Commons, which means he has little choice but to immediately call for a federal election, likely to take place by May.
Mr. Carney, who turns 60 on Sunday, replaces Justin Trudeau who led Canada for nearly a decade. He was elected as Liberal Party leader on Sunday by some 152,000 members of the party, securing 86 percent of the vote.
He had served as governor of the Bank of Canada during the global financial crisis of 2008 and later as governor of the Bank of England — the first and, so far, only foreigner to be hired to the job — from 2013 and through the Brexit transition.