Ottawa, March 10, 2025 — Mark Carney has officially been elected leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, concluding a high-stakes leadership race to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The former central banker will now be tasked with steering the Liberals into the next federal election, expected by October but potentially called earlier.
Carney assumes leadership of the party immediately, but Trudeau will remain in office as prime minister during a transitional period, the duration of which has not yet been disclosed.
Carney’s ascent comes at a turbulent moment for Canadian politics, with relations between Ottawa and Washington rapidly deteriorating. U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Canada of fueling illegal immigration, floated the idea of making Canada a 51st U.S. state, and imposed aggressive tariffs on Canadian imports—moves the White House claims are necessary to combat cross-border fentanyl trafficking.
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In his first remarks following the leadership announcement at the Liberal convention in Ottawa, Carney directly addressed the diplomatic row.
“We will create new trading relationships with reliable partners,” he said.
“Retaliatory tariffs on the United States will remain in place until the Americans show us respect.”
Carney criticized Trump’s economic policies, saying: “He’s attacking Canadian families, workers, and businesses—and we cannot let him succeed. And we won’t. In trade, as in hockey, Canada will win.”
The U.S.-Canada rift has generated broader cultural backlash, with American national anthems being met with boos at recent NHL and NBA games in Canada.
Carney is expected to face a formidable challenge from Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who currently leads in national polls. Poilievre, who has previously drawn comparisons to Trump, has sought to distance himself from the U.S. president, recently stating at a press conference: “I am not MAGA.”
However, during a rally on the eve of the Liberal vote, Poilievre launched a blistering attack on Carney’s record.
“Working for Trudeau, Carney made Canada weaker and poorer. Working for himself, he made the United States richer and stronger,” he said.
Carney responded directly, accusing both Trump and Poilievre of attempting to divide Canada.
“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,” he said.
While the Conservatives have enjoyed a consistent lead, the Liberals have regained momentum in recent weeks, fueled by assertive stances on trade and national sovereignty. Carney’s leadership campaign has emphasized economic resilience, climate policy, and Canadian independence.
Raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Carney is a former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England. During his campaign, he highlighted his leadership during the 2008 global financial crisis and Britain’s economic navigation through Brexit. He also served as the UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance.
Carney has proposed ambitious reforms including shifting the cost of carbon taxes from consumers to large corporations, offering green incentives for small businesses, and leveraging Canada’s vast natural resources to lead in clean energy production.
In recent weeks, Carney has strongly advocated for dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs in response to the Trump administration’s trade measures. Following the U.S. president’s inflammatory accusations of fentanyl trafficking, Carney told he was “offended,” adding: “We are a proud, independent nation. We have been insulted on multiple occasions by senior members of the administration. We are not going to reciprocate in those insults.”
Trudeau, who led the Liberals to power in 2015 and won two subsequent elections, announced his resignation following months of political pressure, internal party dissatisfaction, and economic unease. His departure was further accelerated by the unexpected resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who was also in the running to succeed him.
Addressing party members one last time as leader on Sunday, Trudeau warned of the stakes ahead.
“This is a nation-defining moment,” he said. “Canadians face from our neighbor an existential challenge—an economic crisis. And Canadians are showing exactly what we are made of.”
Carney now takes the helm at a pivotal moment in Canada’s political trajectory, with an election looming, transborder tensions escalating, and the future of Liberal leadership under global scrutiny.
