Canada's Liberal Party, led by current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, chose Mark Carney on Sunday, a former governor of the central banks of Canada and England, a technocrat with no political experience in his long career, as the new leader, Prime Minister, and candidate for the upcoming elections to be held later this year, with a date yet to be defined.
Carney not only faces the challenge of trying to keep the party in power, which seemed moribund a few months ago, but also of leading the country, if current estimates hold, amid an unprecedented crisis, not only internal but also with the United States, its neighbor and until recently a partner and ally.
Trudeau is expected to remain in office for just a few more days to facilitate the transition before the new Liberal leader, who does not have a seat in Parliament, assumes as the 24th Prime Minister of the country since its founding in 1867. It will be the first time a leader does not have a seat in the chamber since 1984 when John Turner won the leadership of the Liberal Party, succeeding curiously Trudeau's father, Pierre Trudeau.
Mark Carney, 59, who led the Bank of Canada during the 2008 global financial crisis and the Bank of England during Brexit, overwhelmingly won the primaries with almost 90% of the over 150,000 votes cast. Among the four contenders, he was the favorite almost from the beginning, but his victory over his friend Chrystia Freeland, the Finance Minister who resigned last December and triggered the government's fall due to her disagreements with Trudeau on how to handle Donald Trump's constant attacks. Not only trade-related but also with increasingly concerning messages about annexation to make the country the 51st state.
"Donald Trump is attacking Canadian families, workers, and businesses, and we cannot allow him to succeed, and we won't [...] The United States is not Canada. Canada will never, ever, be part of the United States in any way," reiterated Carney in his acceptance speech on Sunday night. An idea, a message, a slogan that has become key during the campaign, propelling him in the polls. Both internal and national. "I am ready to give everything for Canada," he stated.
Trudeau announced his resignation in January after 10 years in office, having lost the party's confidence, which saw it almost impossible to remain in government due to the rising cost of living and housing. Carney, an experienced economist, is a risky choice. In 2009, the Liberals then bet on Michael Ignatieff, a respected professor and academic of great renown in the United States or the United Kingdom, and his defeat was overwhelming. Now they entrust themselves again to an outsider, although their profile is different, having led institutions with significant political weight, despite being technical.
"In a situation like this, crisis management experience is needed, negotiation skills are needed. And I have that experience," he repeated in recent weeks in interviews, rallies, and debates with his rivals. "It's not the outcome I expected, but I congratulate Mark on his victory. This campaign has brought fresh ideas, renewed energy, and strengthened our unity. You have my full support," Freeland said in a statement.
Now it is also up to him to set a date for the elections, which can be postponed at most until October 20. Some analysts believe he needs all the time possible to build a name nationwide and make himself known, while others within his party believe he should seize the current moment, with the pressure from Trump and the statements that have made him famous. If he does not call them quickly, the opposition could force them with a vote of confidence in the coming weeks.
A few months ago, the polls looked very bad for the Liberals, thanks to the resurgence of the Conservative Party. Trudeau announced in the first week of January that he would extend the Parliament's mandate until March 24 to allow the party time to choose a new leader, after which he would resign, ending an era of almost 12 years.
In recent weeks, the rise of a certain nationalist sentiment, in response to Trump, has changed everything. Carney's great asset is his reputation, as he is credited with keeping money flowing during the Great Recession by acting quickly to lower interest rates to their lowest level in history, as well as working with the financial sector to maintain lending levels as high as possible during the crisis.
The Liberal Party, but especially Carney, has benefited from the new geopolitical reality. According to the latest data from the Angus Reid Institute, 43% of Canadians believe the former central banker would be the best rival to Trump, compared to 34% who lean towards conservative Pierre Poilievre. Largely because the Liberals have managed to convey the idea that conservatives sympathize to a large extent with Trump's protectionist agenda.
"In December, people were writing off our Liberal Party, but tonight, we all know that we can, we must, and we will defeat Pierre Poilievre and his MAGA [Make America Great Again] campaign with maple syrup," mocked former minister and deputy prime minister Freedland of her main rivals during the night.