Canada’s incoming Prime Minister, Mark Carney, delivered a bold stance against the United States on Sunday, vowing to win the trade war initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump. In his victory speech after being overwhelmingly elected to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Carney promised to stand firm for "the Canadian way of life."
"We didn't ask for this fight. But Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves," Carney told a cheering crowd of Liberal Party supporters in Ottawa. "So the Americans, they should make no mistake, in trade as in hockey, Canada will win."
Carney, 59, who previously led the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, was elected with 85.9 percent of the vote, decisively defeating his main challenger, former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who garnered just 8 percent.
Despite the victory, Carney's tenure could be brief. Canada is required to hold elections by October, but a snap poll could take place within weeks. Current polling suggests that the opposition Conservatives are slight favorites, though the leadership change has injected new life into the Liberal Party.
In his speech, Carney warned that under Trump, the United States was seeking to control Canada’s resources, land, and economy. He called the situation "dark days" and accused Trump of "attacking Canadian workers, families, and businesses."
"We cannot let him succeed," Carney said. "We’re all being called to stand up for each other and for the Canadian way of life."
Carney’s candidacy focused on standing up to Trump, whose unpredictable trade policies have deeply impacted Canada’s economy. The U.S. president has made repeated threats to annex Canada and has imposed tariffs that have thrown bilateral trade into disarray since taking office.
In his farewell address, outgoing Prime Minister Trudeau echoed Carney’s warning, stating that "Canadians face from our neighbor an existential challenge."
Carney’s victory marks a shift in the Liberal leadership as the party faces off against Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. Party loyalists in Ottawa, like Cory Stevenson, said Carney's leadership is what the party needs to counter Poilievre and Trump.
Carney, a former investment banker at Goldman Sachs, is seen as a seasoned economic crisis manager. His experience navigating financial crises, including the 2008-2009 global financial crash and the Brexit turbulence, has positioned him as the ideal candidate to face off against Trump.
Recent polling by Angus Reid shows Carney as the preferred choice to handle Trump, with 43 percent of Canadians supporting him compared to 34 percent backing Poilievre.
Despite his lack of experience in elected office, Carney’s tough anti-Trump rhetoric is resonating with Canadians, many of whom view the situation with the U.S. as an existential threat. However, analysts warn that his untested political skills may be a liability in the upcoming elections.
"It is absolutely a risk. He is unproven in the crucible of an election," said Cameron Anderson, a political scientist at Western University in Ontario.
But Anderson added that Carney’s strong stance on Trump is what many Canadians want to hear from their leaders, particularly as tensions with the U.S. escalate.