Mark Carney, a former central banker with no prior political tenure, was sworn in as Canada’s prime minister on Friday, stepping into the role vacated by Justin Trudeau. In his first remarks, Carney struck a conciliatory tone toward U.S. President Donald Trump, whose tariff threats loom large over Canada’s economy, signaling a stark departure from Trudeau’s frosty dealings with the American leader.
“We respect President Trump and the priorities he’s championing,” Carney, 59, told reporters shortly after his swearing-in. Drawing on past interactions with Trump at global summits, he added, “We share a commitment to our nations’ interests, and I’m confident we can craft solutions that benefit both sides.” However, he dismissed Trump’s talk of annexing Canada as “absurd” and reaffirmed Canada’s sovereignty: “We will never be part of the United States—full stop.”
Carney, who led the Bank of Canada and Bank of England, swiftly overhauled his cabinet, slashing nearly half of the 24 ministerial roles inherited from Trudeau to sharpen Canada’s focus on U.S. relations. Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc shifts to international trade, replaced by Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, while Foreign Minister Melanie Joly retains her position. Former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, whose exit last December sparked Trudeau’s downfall, takes on the transport portfolio.
The new prime minister’s rise marks an extraordinary ascent for a political novice. After clinching the Liberal Party leadership on Sunday, Carney pitched himself as an outsider equipped to counter Trump’s aggressive rhetoric, including repeated annexation jabs. He plans to visit London and Paris next week to bolster European ties amid strained U.S. relations.
A federal election looms large, with Liberal insiders predicting Carney will call a vote within two weeks. Should he delay, opposition parties threaten to topple his minority government by month’s end. Polls show a tight race with the Conservatives, led by Pierre Poilievre, who slammed Carney’s team on X: “Same Liberal crew—same carbon taxes, debt, and soaring costs.”
Carney’s early moves suggest a pragmatic approach, but with an election imminent, his window to act may be short.