Former central banker Mark Carney has won the race to lead the Liberal Party, succeeding Justin Trudeau as prime minister, official results showed on Sunday.
Carney, 59, secured 86% of the votes, defeating former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in a contest that saw nearly 152,000 party members participate, Reuters reports.
Trudeau had announced in January that he would step down following a sharp decline in his approval ratings. His decision came after more than nine years in power. In response, the Liberal Party launched a swift leadership contest to replace him.
Carney takes office at a tumultuous time, as Canada faces a trade war with its longtime ally, the United States, under President Donald Trump. The country is also preparing for an upcoming general election.
“There’s someone who’s trying to weaken our economy,” Carney said of Trump, drawing loud boos from the crowd at the party gathering. “He’s attacking Canadian workers, families, and businesses. We can’t let him succeed.”
Carney also signaled a shift in approach, saying, “This won’t be business as usual. We will have to do things we haven’t imagined before, at speeds we didn’t think possible.”
Outgoing Prime Minister Trudeau underscored the gravity of the moment, stating, “Make no mistake, this is a nation-defining moment. Democracy is not a given. Freedom is not a given. Even Canada is not a given.”
Carney vowed to maintain tariffs on American goods until the U.S. showed Canada more respect.
“My government will keep our tariffs in place until the Americans treat us fairly,” he declared.
As previously reported by SaharaReporters, Justin Trudeau broke down in tears during a press conference in Ottawa while addressing the escalating trade war with the U.S. and his final days as prime minister.
His emotional reaction came as Trump continued to taunt him, referring to him as “Governor Trudeau” and suggesting Canada should become the 51st U.S. state, MailOnline reported.
The U.S. had recently imposed a 25% tariff on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico, triggering a trade war. However, just days later, Trump reversed the decision, stating that goods compliant with the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would be exempt until April 2, and hinted at a similar exemption for Canada.
For months, Trump had ridiculed Trudeau, questioning his leadership and accusing him of using the tariff dispute as a political strategy.
“Believe it or not, despite the terrible job he’s done for Canada, I think that Justin Trudeau is using the tariff problem—which he largely caused—to run again for Prime Minister. So much fun to watch!” Trump wrote on social media.
At his press conference, Trudeau struggled to maintain his composure while discussing childhood healthcare.
“On a personal level, I made sure that every single day in this office, I put Canadians first and had their backs. That’s why I’m here today to say that even in these final days of my government, we will not let Canadians down—today or in the future,” he said, visibly emotional.
