Mark Carney has been elected leader of Canada’s Liberal Party in a months-long, high stakes race to replace Justin Trudeau. He will now be expected to lead the party into the next federal elections which must be held before October, but could be called much earlier where he is likely to face stiff competition from the Conservative party, which is currently leading in the polls.
While Carney will take over immediately as Liberal Party leader, Trudeau will remain as Canada’s prime minister for an as-yet undisclosed transitional period while his successor settles in. One of the biggest issues in Carney’s immediate inbox will be the country’s souring relations with the United States.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed Canada for illegal immigration into the US, threatened to turn Canada into a 51st state, and impose steep tariffs on Canadian imports, which the White House says is necessary to stem the flow of fentanyl over its borders.
In his first remarks following the result of the vote, Carney referenced the tensions with the US, saying his government would “create new trading relationships with reliable trading partners.” He also vowed to keep retaliatory tariffs on the US “until the Americans show us respect.”
“New threats demand new ideas and a new plan,” he told the Liberal Party convention on Sunday.
Credit: CNN