In Toronto, Canada’s ruling Liberal Party is poised to announce a new leader to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as the country braces for U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and an impending federal election. The announcement is scheduled for Sunday evening.
Liberal Party members are leaning towards electing Mark Carney, a former central bank governor, as their new leader and potentially Canada’s next prime minister. Carney, aged 59, is noted for managing financial challenges during his tenure at the Bank of Canada and later as the first non-citizen to govern the Bank of England since its establishment in 1694. His leadership during Canada’s swift recovery from the 2008 financial crisis earned him widespread acclaim in the U.K.
The opposition Conservatives have tried to center their campaign around Trudeau, whose standing suffered amid rising living costs and increased immigration. Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January, will continue in his role until a successor is officially instated. Although the law mandates a general election by fall, an election is anticipated to occur as soon as this spring.
Trump’s trade spat and comments about possibly annexing Canada as a U.S. state have sparked outrage among Canadians. This backlash has fueled a wave of nationalism, with some Canadians boycotting American products and altering their travel plans to avoid the U.S.
This rise in nationalism has bolstered support for the Liberal Party in the looming parliamentary election, with poll numbers showing a steady increase in their favor. As a result, the upcoming leadership selection is expected to pivot on the candidate deemed most capable of handling relations with the United States.
Since declaring his candidacy in January, Carney has garnered significant support from Cabinet members and MPs, despite his lack of direct political experience. An accomplished economist with a background on Wall Street, he has long harbored aspirations of entering the political arena and leading Canada.
The other prominent figure in the Liberal leadership race is Chrystia Freeland, a former Deputy Prime Minister. Trudeau dismissed Freeland from her role as finance minister last December, offering for her to stay on as deputy prime minister overseeing U.S.-Canada diplomacy. Freeland, however, tendered her resignation shortly thereafter and released a strongly worded letter critiquing the government.
A tribute to Trudeau is anticipated at the event on Sunday evening, following a vote by over 151,000 Liberal Party members. The election of a new leader is likely to lead to a call for a general election shortly after. This could be initiated either by the newly appointed Liberal leader or forced by opposition parties in Parliament through a vote of no confidence later in the month.
