OTTAWA: Canada’s Liberal Party has elected Mark Carney as its new leader, after which he will soon take over from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Carney won the election by a landslide and took a tough stance against US President Donald Trump after his victory.
Former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney won 85.9 percent of the vote, defeating his main rival Chrystia Freeland, who received only 8 percent of the vote.
After his victory, Mark Carney said that Donald Trump is hurting Canadian workers, families and businesses and added that we no longer trust the United States. He said that the United States wants to seize Canada’s land, water and resources, and Canada must stand up for its sovereignty.
Carney’s becoming prime minister is not certain for long, as Canada is expected to hold a general election in October, and given the circumstances, early elections may also be held. The opposition Conservative Party has a slight lead, according to the latest poll.
Before the results were announced, Justin Trudeau said that Canada faces an existential threat from its neighbor (the United States).
Mark Carney began his banking career at Goldman Sachs, and later headed the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England. However, he has never held any elected office, which some experts say will test his leadership during the election campaign.
Experts say Carney’s strong anti-Trump rhetoric could mobilize liberal voters, but the Conservative Party is already accusing him of being inconsistent in his stance.
According to a recent poll, 43 percent of Canadians consider Mark Carney to be a better leader to deal with Trump, while 34 percent support Pierre Poilier.
It remains to be seen whether the Liberal Party will be able to regain popular support under Mark Carney’s leadership, as the party’s popularity had been severely affected before Trudeau’s resignation.
