Canada’s incoming prime minister, Mark Carney, took a firm stance against the United States on Sunday, vowing to defeat US President Donald Trump in what he described as a trade war.
The former central banker wasted no time asserting his commitment to defending the Canadian way of life after securing an overwhelming victory in the Liberal Party leadership race to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“We didn’t ask for this fight. But Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves,” Carney declared to a lively crowd of party supporters in Ottawa.
“So the Americans, they should make no mistake, in trade as in hockey, Canada will win,” he added.
At 59, Carney is set to take over from Trudeau in the coming days, but his tenure may be short-lived, as Canada must hold elections by October, with the possibility of a snap poll in the coming weeks. Current polling suggests the opposition Conservatives hold a slight advantage.
In his victory speech, Carney warned that Trump’s administration was attempting to take control of Canada’s resources.
“The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country,” he said.
“These are dark days, dark days brought on by a country we can no longer trust.”
Accusing Trump of attacking Canadian workers, families and businesses, Carney urged Canadians to resist.
“We cannot let him succeed. We’re all being called to stand up for each other and for the Canadian way of life.”
Carney, who previously served as governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, decisively defeated Chrystia Freeland, Trudeau’s former deputy prime minister, in the Liberal leadership race. Freeland, who held multiple senior cabinet positions under Trudeau’s government, received just 8 per cent of the nearly 152,000 votes cast, while Carney secured an overwhelming 85.9 per cent.
Carney’s campaign largely centred on standing up to Trump.
The US president has repeatedly spoken about annexing Canada and disrupted the Canadian economy with fluctuating tariff policies. Since taking office, Trump’s trade decisions have thrown bilateral trade relations—critical to Canada’s economic stability—into turmoil.
Delivering a farewell address, Trudeau echoed Carney’s concerns, warning that “Canadians face from our neighbor an existential challenge.”
The election of Carney has reinvigorated the Liberal Party, with party loyalists optimistic about their chances in the upcoming election.
“The Liberal party has the wind in its sails,” said Cory Stevenson, a party member celebrating the leadership result in Ottawa.
“We chose the person who could best face off against (Tory leader) Pierre Poilievre in the next election and deal with Donald Trump,” he told AFP.
Carney has positioned himself as the best candidate to counter Trump, citing his experience navigating economic crises. He played a key role in steering the Bank of Canada through the 2008-2009 financial crisis and later led the Bank of England through the economic uncertainty following the 2016 Brexit vote.
His leadership bid has already gained traction among the electorate. According to a recent Angus Reid poll, 43 per cent of Canadians believe Carney is the best leader to handle Trump, compared to 34 per cent who back Poilievre.
The Liberal Party was facing a potential electoral wipeout before Trudeau’s decision to step down in January. However, Carney’s leadership and Trump’s policies have significantly tightened the race.
“We were written off about four months ago, and now we’re right back where we should be,” said former Liberal MP Frank Baylis, who also ran for party leadership.
Carney’s political inexperience remains a potential liability. Before entering politics, he made a fortune as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs before transitioning into public service. Since stepping down as governor of the Bank of England in 2020, he has served as a United Nations envoy, working to mobilise private sector investments in climate-friendly technologies, while also holding various private sector roles.
Despite his extensive economic background, Carney has never served in Parliament or held an elected office.
His untested political skills have already drawn attacks from the Conservative Party, which has released negative campaign ads questioning his credibility, accusing him of shifting positions and misrepresenting his experience.
“It is absolutely a risk. He is unproven in the crucible of an election,” said Cameron Anderson, a political scientist at Western University, Ontario.
However, Anderson noted that Carney’s strong anti-Trump stance resonates with the public.
“His tough anti-Trump rhetoric is what Canadians want to hear from their leaders. The average Canadian in the country is viewing these things in an existential way.”
