 "Liberal Party of Canada Leader Mark Carney speaks following the announcement of his win at the party's announcement event in Ottawa, Ontario. AP")
Mark Carney has been sworn in as the 24th Prime Minister of Canada.
Days after his election as the Leader of the Liberal Party, Governor Mary Simon presided over a ceremony in which Carney and his 23 Cabinet ministers were sworn in.
Carney has retained some of his predecessor Justin Trudeau’s ministers, such as Public Safety Minister David McGuinty and Foreign Minister Melanie Joly.
In a message after taking over as the prime minister, Carney said on X: “Today, we’re building a government that meets the moment. Canadians expect action — and that’s what this team will deliver. A smaller, experienced cabinet that moves faster, secures our economy, and protects Canada’s future.”
Carney, a former head of Bank of Canada and Bank of England, has taken over at a time when Canada is facing unprecedented economic and territorial aggression. US President Donald Trump has mounted a tariff war to decimate Canada economically and has made it clear he wants to annex Canada and make it the 51st US state.
Canada and the United States are locked in a worsening trade war. Trump has imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods (except for oil that’s tariffed at 10 per cent) and has additionally imposed 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium that hit Canada hard as the country is the biggest supplier of these metals to the United States. Despite the monthlong pause under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, most Canadian goods face tariffs as exemptions under the agreement are limited.
At such a crucial time, Carney is more of a placeholder prime minister as the country is scheduled to hold parliamentary elections later this year. With his economic and territorial aggression, Trump has reshaped Canadian politics. Until seven weeks ago, a landslide victory of the Conservative Party was a foregone conclusion but polls now show that the Liberals and Conservatives are pitched closely and the Liberals have a real chance of victory.
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More ShortsReuters has reported Liberal Party’s insiders as saying that Carney is expected to call snap elections within two weeks.
If Carney changes his mind, Opposition parties are expected to unite to topple his government, according to the news agency.