Canadian PM Mark Carney vows to fight US trade war

Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney, has vowed to take on Donald Trump and urged his country to unite in a defiant acceptance speech during a fierce trade war with the United States. The former Bank of England governor, who will be sworn in as Justin Trudeau’s successor in the coming days, was on Sunday night elected as Canada’s new prime minister by the country’s governing Liberal Party as tensions escalate over tariffs with its closest neighbour. After winning with with 85.9 per cent of the votes cast by 150,000 members, Carney hit out at Trump for “attacking Canadian families” and wanting to “destroy the Canadian way of life”, describing the US president’s tariffs and threats as the “greatest crisis of our lifetime”.

“There is someone who is trying to weaken our economy. Donald Trump. Donald Trump has put unjustified tariffs on what we build, sell and how we make a living,” he said. After the US last week slapped sweeping 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods, Canada retaliated with its own 25 per cent tariffs on up to $155bn in US goods over the course of this month. Trudeau said in a televised address last week: “It’s not in my habit to agree with the Wall Street Journal, but Donald, they point out that even though you are a very smart guy, this a very dumb thing to do.” While Trudeau described the neighbouring countries as “two friends fighting”, Carney said the US was a country Canada “could no longer trust”.

Carney, 59, will now have to negotiate with Trump as he threatens additional tariffs that could further cripple Canada’s economy. During his speech Carney said: “The Canadian government has rightly retaliated with tariffs. We will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect. “We did not ask for this fight. But Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves. Make no mistake, Canada will win.” He then turned his attack on Canadian opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, who he said “worships at the altar of Donald Trump”. While the Conservative party has been gaining ground in recent months, like in other Western democracies, a surge in Canadian nationalism amid aggression from the US over trade and threats to make Canada America’s 51st state has bolstered the Liberal Party’s chances in the parliamentary election expected within days or weeks.

“We have made this the greatest country in the world and now our neighbours want to take us. No way,” Carney added. “We can’t change Donald Trump ... (but) because we’re masters in our own home, we can control our economic destiny.” Carney’s fiery stance marks a dramatic shift in the rhetoric of Western leaders speaking out against Trump, and will be watched closely by those in the UK and Europe, with the US president vowing to put tariffs on the EU, which he said was created to “screw” the United States. Repeating the phrase “Canada strong”, Carney said Canadians could give themselves “far more than Donald Trump could”.

“We have to look out for ourselves and we have to look out for each other, we need to hold together for the tough days ahead,” he said. “We can and we will get through this crisis.” Trudeau announced in January that he would step down after more than nine years in power as his approval rating plummeted, forcing the ruling Liberal Party to run a quick contest to replace him. Carney has said his experience as the first person to serve as the governor of two central banks – Canada and England — meant he was the best candidate to deal with Trump.

He said he supported dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs against the United States and a coordinated strategy to boost investment. He has repeatedly complained that Canada’s growth under Trudeau was not good enough.

Carney could legally serve as prime minister without a seat in the House of Commons but tradition dictates he should seek to win one as soon as possible. He will also have to decide when to call a general election, which must be held on or before 20 October of this year.