Mark Carney to replace Justin Trudeau as Canada’s prime minister

Former central banker Mark Carney is set to become Canadarsquos next prime minister after winning the governing Liberal Partyrsquos leadership election in a landslide victory on Sunday Carney 59 secured 859 per cent of the vote replacing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who announced his resignation in January Trudeau will continue as prime minister until his successor is sworn in within the coming days according to APCarneyrsquos leadership comes as Canada grapples with tensions with the United States particularly over US President Donald Trumprsquos trade war and annexation threats AP reports His victory is expected to shift the focus of the upcoming federal election which could take place within weeks to Canadarsquos strained relations with its southern neighbourIn his first speech as Liberal leader Carney criticised Trumprsquos trade tactics vowing to stand firm against American economic pressureThere is someone who is trying to weaken our economy Carney said Donald Trump has imposed unjustified tariffs on what we build on what we sell and on how we make a living He is attacking Canadian families workers and businesses and we cannot let him succeed ndash and we wonrsquotCarney pledged to maintain retaliatory tariffs against US imports until the Americans show us respectWe didnrsquot ask for this fight he declared But Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves The Americans should make no mistake ndash in trade as in hockey Canada will winTrumprsquos trade war and his remarks about making Canada the 51st US state have sparked outrage among Canadians as per AP Canadian crowds have booed the American national anthem at NHL and NBA games while many citizens have cancelled trips to the US and boycotted American productsCarney capitalised on this wave of nationalism statingThe Americans want our resources our water our land our country Think about it If they succeed they would destroy our way of life In America healthcare is big business In Canada it is a rightHe further emphasised Canadarsquos distinct identity sayingAmerica is a melting pot Canada is a mosaic America is not Canada and Canada will never ever be a part of America in any way shape or formCarney an economist with Wall Street experience previously led the Bank of Canada and later became the first nonBritish governor of the Bank of England in 2013 His tenure at both institutions earned him bipartisan respect particularly for Canadarsquos swift recovery from the 2008 financial crisisHe entered politics earlier this year picking up endorsements from key Liberal MPs and Cabinet ministers However his lack of political experience remains a point of discussionIn 2020 Carney was appointed as the United Nationsrsquo special envoy for climate action and finance further raising his profile on the global stageCarneyrsquos main challenger former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland received just eight per cent of the vote Freeland once a close ally of Trudeau resigned in December after he removed her as finance minister Her departure followed a scathing letter criticising Trudeaursquos government which many saw as a turning point for the LiberalsWith the leadership transition underway Trudeau called on Liberal supporters to rally behind Carney statingThis is a nationdefining moment Democracy is not a given Freedom is not a given Even Canada is not a givenCarney is expected to trigger a federal election soon either by calling one himself or through a noconfidence vote in Parliament which could take place later this month AP reportsWith Canadarsquos relationship with the US now at the heart of political debate the upcoming election is likely to focus on who is best equipped to stand up to WashingtonThese are dark days dark days brought on by a country we can no longer trust Carney warned We are getting over the shock but let us never forget the lessons We have to look after ourselves and we have to look out for each other We need to pull together in the tough days aheadMeanwhile Trump has delayed imposing 25 per cent tariffs on some Canadian imports for one month but additional trade restrictions remain on the table heightening economic uncertainty as per APCarneyrsquos leadership will now be tested on whether he can navigate Canada through this turbulent period ndash and whether Canadians will back him at the ballot boxWith inputs from AP