Canada's new prime minister vows to stand firm against Trump

Mark Carney will be the next prime minister of Canada after winning the Liberal Party’s leadership race in a landslide.

The former governor of the Canadian central bank and Bank of England defeated three rivals, including former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, with 85.9% of the vote.

In his victory speech, Carney, 59, took aim at US President Donald Trump, pledging to win the escalating trade war between the two nations.

Trump recently imposed tariffs on Canadian goods and controversially suggested that Canada should become the 51st US state. Carney pushed back strongly, telling supporters, “Americans should make no mistake. In trade, as in hockey, Canada will win.”

The Liberal leadership race began in January after Trudeau resigned following nearly a decade in office. The outgoing prime minister faced mounting internal pressure to step down due to declining approval ratings, largely attributed to Canada’s housing crisis and rising cost of living.

Carney’s victory has injected new momentum into the Liberals, who had been trailing the opposition Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, by more than 20 percentage points at the start of the year. Recent polls, however, indicate that the gap has narrowed, with some showing the two parties in a statistical tie.

As prime minister-designate, Carney will lead a minority government in Parliament. He could call a snap general election, or opposition parties might trigger one by passing a no-confidence motion in the coming weeks.

Carney has positioned himself as a centrist, marking a shift from Trudeau’s more progressive policies. His platform includes significant investments in housing and clean energy, expanding Canada’s energy infrastructure, and reducing interprovincial trade barriers. He has also pledged to diversify the economy beyond its reliance on the US.

In contrast, the Conservatives have sought to frame Carney as a continuation of Trudeau’s leadership, dubbing the leadership change as a “sneaky” attempt to extend Liberal rule. They have also criticised him for his past role in moving investment firm Brookfield Asset Management’s headquarters from Toronto to New York, though Carney maintains that the decision was made after he left the company.

Carney’s leadership will soon be put to the test as he prepares for the next election, where he will face Poilievre’s Conservatives, the Bloc Québécois, and the New Democratic Party.