Mark Carney wins Liberal leadership in landslide victory
Mark Carney is the new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada after a decisive first-ballot victory in the party’s nine-week leadership race.
The former governor of the Bank of Canada secured more than 85 per cent of the vote, with over 131,000 ballots cast. Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland finished a distant second with just over 11,000 votes, while Karina Gould and Frank Baylis placed third and fourth, respectively.
Carney’s win marks a new chapter for the Liberal Party and likely sets the stage for an imminent federal election. Under Canada’s parliamentary system, he will become prime minister once sworn in by the Governor General, replacing Justin Trudeau, who announced earlier this year that he would step down as leader.
Trudeau said earlier this week that he expects the transition to happen “in the coming days or weeks.”
Carney’s first challenge as leader will be navigating ongoing chaotic trade negotiations with the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump has, in yo-yo fashion, repeatedly imposed, then rescinded, steep tariffs on Canadian goods, creating economic uncertainty.
Complicating matters further, Carney does not currently hold a seat in the House of Commons, limiting his ability to participate in parliamentary proceedings. With the NDP vowing to oppose any confidence motion, his leadership could quickly be tested, making a spring a near certainty.
Parliament is set to resume on March 24.
