In a crushing win, Liberal Party members chose Mark Carney to lead their party and become the next prime minister of Canada.
“I will work day and night to build a stronger Canada for everyone,” said Carney in his victory speech. “The liberal party is united and strong and ready to fight to build an even better country.”
Voting for the leader of the Liberal leadership race ended at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, with 152,000 party members casting a vote. The former central banker received nearly 86 per cent of the vote in a landslide win.
Fifty-nine-year-old Carney previously served as the governor of the Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013 and led the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020.
Trudeau’s resignation sparks leadership race
The search for the next leader of the Liberal Party started when Justin Trudeau resigned in early January after serving as its leader since 2013 and prime minister since 2015.
“This country deserves a real choice in the next election,” Trudeau said in his resignation speech, adding that Parliament had been “paralyzed for months.”
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon granted Trudeau’s request to prorogue Parliament until March 24.
Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, who came in second in the Liberal leadership contest, pledged her support to Carney.
Carney stresses strong response to tariffs
In his victory speech, Carney wasted no time highlighting his priorities as the next prime minister.
“My government would put into action our plan to build a stronger economy, to create new trading relationships with reliable trading partners, and to secure our borders,” said Carney from Ottawa’s Roger Centre.
Carney also emphasized the need to take a strong stance against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs and threats to make Canada the 51st state.
“The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country. Think about it. If they succeeded, they would destroy our way of life. In America, health care is a big business, in Canada, it is a right. America is a melting pot. Canada is a mosaic”.
After Carney is sworn in as prime minister by the Governor General, he is widely expected to call a general election.
“We have to win this election, the big election, and we will stand shoulder to shoulder to do it. And the stakes have never been higher,” said Carney.
Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, has recently sharpened his attack on Carney, calling him “sneaky” for not disclosing his financial interests, and questioning his ability to balance the government’s books.
Conservatives take aim at Carney
Hours before Carney’s election as leader, Poilievre took aim at Carney, saying the former central banker turned politician was “working for Trudeau.”
“Carney made Canada weaker and poorer. Working for himself, Carney made the United States richer and stronger. And for the first time in our history Canada will have a sneaky prime minister with millions of dollars of financial interest that go directly against our national interest,” said Poilevre Sunday at a rally in London, Ont.
Carney links Poilievre to Trump
Carney linked Poilievre to Trump in his victory speech.
“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 because a person who worships at the altar of Donald Trump will kneel before him, not stand up to him,” said Carney.
Carney finished his speech by stressing that Canada would get through this tariff crisis.
“We’re strongest when we’re united, when we’re one economy, not 13, when we can cheer for different teams and still be on one team when it counts. When we come together we build things that last because we are Canada strong,” said Carney.