Mark Carney was sworn in as Canada’s 24th prime minister on Friday morning at Rideau Hall, ushering in a leaner Liberal cabinet tasked with navigating what he called a “moment of crisis” in Canada-U.S. relations. Addressing reporters in his first press conference, Carney outlined a three-pronged mission: growing the economy, easing affordability pressures, and bolstering national security amid escalating tensions with U.S. President Donald Trump.
“One of the top issues is the crisis with the United States—and the opportunity to diversify trade,” Carney said, pointing to Trump’s tariff threats and annexation rhetoric as defining challenges. Retaining seasoned ministers like Mélanie Joly (foreign affairs), François-Philippe Champagne (now finance), and Dominic LeBlanc (international trade) signals continuity in confronting the U.S. file, while Anita Anand shifts to innovation, science, and industry.
Carney dismissed Trump’s repeated “51st state” jabs as “crazy,” vowing Canada’s sovereignty is non-negotiable. “We respect President Trump and understand his agenda,” he said, noting shared private-sector roots, “but we’ll never be part of the United States.” While no Washington trip is imminent, Carney plans swift visits to Paris and London—invited by French President Emmanuel Macron—to bolster trade and security ties.
His first cabinet meeting Friday afternoon zeroed in on a campaign pledge: scrapping the consumer carbon price. “We’re going to deal with the carbon tax,” Carney announced as he entered, signaling an order-in-council to reset the levy to $0 per tonne by April 1, leaving industrial pricing intact. The move, aimed at easing consumer costs, has drawn cheers from affordability hawks and jeers from climate advocates online.
The 24-member cabinet—down from Trudeau’s 38—blends 20 veterans with three new Liberal MPs: Arielle Kayabaga (government House leader and democratic institutions), Kody Blois (agriculture and rural development), and Ali Ehsassi (public services and “government transformation”). Notable shifts include Chrystia Freeland to transport after her leadership loss to Carney, Steven Guilbeault to Canadian culture and identity, and Kamal Khera to health. Bill Blair (defence) and Patty Hajdu (Indigenous services) hold steady.
Absent are ministers for gender equality, diversity, and mental health—cuts NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh slammed as revealing Carney’s “priorities.” Singh also criticized the lack of a labour minister amid tariff-related job risks, urging Parliament’s recall. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called it “Trudeau’s government with a facelift,” predicting little change from a decade of Liberal rule.
With no MPs from Alberta, Saskatchewan, or PEI, Carney leaned on Freeland’s Alberta roots and his own national mandate to deflect regional gripes. An election looms—possibly before Parliament resumes March 24—though Carney coyly pegged it “before November.”