OTTAWA, Ontario — Mark Carney, the former head of Canada’s central bank, secured the Liberal Party leadership on Sunday and is set to become the next prime minister. Addressing his supporters, Carney emphasized that Canada would never be absorbed by the United States.
Carney garnered significant support, winning 86% of the vote with 131,764 votes out of 151,899 cast. Nearly 400,000 party members had registered to participate in the leadership election.
The newly elected Liberal leader stressed the importance of the upcoming election, calling it a crucial battle with unprecedented stakes.
Referring to President Donald Trump’s repeated suggestions of the U.S. annexing Canada, Carney declared Canada as the “greatest country” and firmly rejected the idea of becoming the “51st state.”
Following Trump’s imposition of tariffs on Canada the previous month, Carney issued a statement asserting that Canada would not yield to bullying and would stand united against illegal U.S. tariffs that harm Canadian workers and their families.
Reports indicated that the outgoing prime minister approached Carney in December to offer him the position of finance minister. This led to the resignation of the incumbent, Chrystia Freeland, who cited disagreements with the prime minister over the country’s direction in her public resignation letter.
Subsequently, Trudeau announced his decision to resign as Liberal leader and prime minister, stating that internal conflicts hindered his ability to be the best choice for the upcoming general election, scheduled for no later than October 20.
However, opposition parties have pledged to trigger an earlier election by introducing a non-confidence motion against the Liberal minority government when Parliament reconvenes on March 24.
The Globe and Mail reported on Saturday that Carney is likely to call a snap election the week before Parliament’s resumption on March 24, with potential voting dates on either April 28 or May 5.
Carney is scheduled to meet with Trudeau on Monday to discuss the handover, with plans for Carney and a streamlined Cabinet to be sworn in by Friday.
Despite the Liberals gaining momentum with their new leader, the Conservatives, led by , are prepared for an election focused on change, according to Laura Kurkimaki, who served as deputy national campaign manager for the Conservative Party in the 2021 election.
Kurkimaki stated that Canadians are “tired” after a decade of Liberal government. She also served as principal secretary to former Conservative official opposition leader Erin O’Toole, whose party won the popular vote but not enough House seats to win the 2021 election.
Kurkimaki argued that the new Liberal leader would be campaigning on “Trudeau’s record,” noting that Carney, while not a member of the government, was appointed by the Liberal Party to chair a task force on economic growth for Trudeau last September.
Kurkimaki emphasized that the next election would center on improving affordability for Canadians and that events in the U.S. would inevitably create economic uncertainty in Canada.
She also pointed out that the longer Carney delays calling an election, the more time the Conservatives have to launch attack ads against him.
Political parties face spending limits during an election campaign. However, prior to the official start of the election period, there are no spending restrictions on advertising. Last year, the Conservatives raised approximately $29 million, more than double the Liberals’ $11 million.
In an interview with , Trump commented on the Conservative party leader, stating that Poilievre’s “biggest problem is he’s not a MAGA guy… He’s not a Trump guy at all.”
The Canadian Conservative leader , responded by stating, “Mr. President, it is true. I am not MAGA.”
“I am for Canada First. Always,” Poilievre posted. “Canada has always been America’s best friend & ally. But we will NEVER be the 51st state.”
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