He is the one who is about to take the lead in the trade war between Canada to the United States. Mark Carney, 59, is the favorite of the ballot of this Sunday, March 9, aimed at replacing the outgoing Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, at the head of the Liberal Party. In power for ten years, the latter had announced his resignation in January, in the middle of political chaos.
In recent weeks, has a question predominant in the debate to designate Justin Trudeau’s successor: who, from the Liberal Party, is best to face the economic threats of Donald Trump, and save Canada’s sovereignty? The choice should, unless surprised, should be focused on Mark Carney who, although novice in politics, has experience in the economic sphere as an ex-director of the Banque du Canada (2008-2012) and England (2013-2020).
“He is the alleged favorite. Mark Carney grew up dreaming of becoming a player in the National Hockey League, but rather climbed the finance levels as a business banker for Goldman Sachs in capitals around the world,” said the Washington Post. The Liberal is known for having governed the Bank of Canada in the midst of a 2008 financial crisis, before heading for London to lead the Bank of England. His mission was later to manage Brexit, worth the nickname “Rock Star” with the British press. Between 2011 and 2018, he also chaired the financial stability council, an economic group founded by the G20 after the crisis, succeeding Mario Draghi, to whom he is often compared, recalls Release.
Mark Carney has largely preceded his opponents in terms of support within the country and funds raised, starting with his main rival, the former Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland. “We are faced with the most serious crisis of our life … Everything, in my life, prepared me at that time,” he said during his last meeting on Friday. It is this message of experienced man accustomed to managing crises, hammered throughout his campaign, which seems to have borne fruit when the country is turned upside down by a historic crisis with its powerful neighbor.
Donald Trump’s provocations
The American president has indeed launched a trade war by imposing customs duties on Canadian products, and continues to say that he wants Canada to become “51ᵉ US state”. Attacks that exasperate Canadians, many of whom give up their trip to the south of the border and boycott products from the United States. If he wins, Mark Carney promised to respond to American customs duties and balance part of the budget within three years.
According to a survey by the Angus Reid Institute published on Wednesday, it is the favorite choice of Canadians to face Donald Trump, with 43 % of those questioned who plebiscite him, against 34 % for the leader of the Conservatives, Pierre Hairyvre. The chances are thin for Chrystia Freeland, who had left the government with a crash, displaying its disagreements on how to manage Donald Trump’s attacks.
Whatever the winner, while facing the American assaults, he will quickly have to gather his party for the next federal elections. These must be held at the latest in October, but they could be triggered more quickly by Parliament and promise to be very disputed. Unpopular and judged responsible in particular for strong inflation and the housing crisis, the Liberals, who displayed more than 20 points behind in January in voting intentions, are today in the shoulder to the conservatives.
If Mark Carney wins this Sunday before the 400,000 voters of the Liberal Party, it will probably be necessary to wait a few days for a passing of power to take place between him and Justin Trudeau, once the government formed.