Mark Carney has been elected as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and is about to take over as Prime Minister

On March 9th, Mark Carney, former Governor of the Bank of Canada and former Governor of the Bank of England, was elected as the leader of the Liberal Party with a high vote share of 85.9% at the party congress, replacing Justin Trudeau. Supporters on site were dressed in red and white, waving the Canadian flag, creating a lively atmosphere. At 6:30 pm that evening, the conference officially announced that Carney had won, and he would be sworn in as the 24th Prime Minister of Canada in the near future.

Carney is one of the few political figures in recent years who has directly become prime minister without serving as a member of parliament. The last leader in a similar situation was John Turner in 1984, who succeeded Trudeau's father, former prime minister Pierre Trudeau.

Canada US relations tense, Liberal Party sends tough signal

Currently, Canada is facing a complex international situation, particularly the trade tensions with the United States. Trudeau pointed out in his speech at the conference that Canada is experiencing an "survival crisis", mainly due to the recent imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods by the United States and the widespread controversy surrounding Donald Trump's statement that he wants Canada to become the "51st state of the United States".

Faced with external pressure, Trudeau emphasized, "We are a country that prioritizes diplomacy, but when we must fight, we never back down - elbows up!" This ice hockey term refers to players lifting their elbows to protect themselves during intense competition, and has now become a battle cry for Canada in the face of the US Canada trade war. Supporters on site shouted "Elbows up" and thunderous applause erupted.

Image source: Global News

With Carney's victory, the Liberal Party has begun to consider the possibility of holding early federal elections. Ottawa politicians speculate that he will officially take over as prime minister in a few days and may announce elections within weeks to consolidate the Liberal Party's governing position.

According to the latest forecast from polling firm 338Canada, if a federal election is held today, the election situation will be very intense

The Conservative Party (CPC) is expected to win 156 seats, still 16 seats short of the 172 seats needed to form a majority government;

The Liberal Party (LPC) is expected to win 143 seats, with a tight race in the election;

Bloc Qu é b é cois is expected to win 28 seats;

The New Democratic Party (NDP) is expected to win 14 seats;

The Green Party is expected to win 2 seats.

This means that although the Conservative Party is in a leading position, they have not yet secured a majority government, and the Liberal Party may still change the situation through the election campaign.

Image source: X

Kani's economic management ability is considered an important advantage of the Liberal Party. He served as the Governor of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis, helping the Canadian economy weather the crisis smoothly, and then worked at the Bank of England to address the challenges posed by Brexit. Therefore, his governing style is expected to be more cautious and prudent in economic policies.

However, Carney's lack of practical political experience will be his biggest challenge in the election. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized him on social media as an "elitist technocrat" and questioned whether he truly understands the needs of ordinary Canadians. How the Liberal Party unites voters and resolves this criticism will be the key to determining the outcome of the election.

Source: CTV News