Canada’s New Leader Takes Immediate Jab At Trump
Economist and former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has been chosen to replace Justin Trudeau as the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party and will become the country’s next prime minister.
His selection occurs during a crucial period in U.S.-Canada relations, as both nations enforce significant tariffs and brace for what could be an impending trade conflict, according to Variety.
Carney secured an overwhelming victory, garnering 85.9 percent of the votes within the Liberal Party. Over 150,000 members took part in the election, The New York Times reported.
It wasn’t long before Carney made a pointed remark directed at President Donald Trump.
“America is not Canada. And Canada never, ever, will be part of America in any way, shape or form,” he declared in his acceptance speech on Sunday, alluding to Trump’s previous comments about Canada potentially becoming the 51st U.S. state.
“We didn’t ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves,” he continued. “So Americans should make no mistake. In trade, as in hockey, Canada will win.”
Carney’s official inauguration is expected within the week. Since he does not currently hold a seat in Parliament, an early federal election is likely soon after he assumes office. As Variety highlighted, “Carney spent 13 years as an investment banker with Goldman Sachs in 1990s and 2000s.”
Trump has imposed a series of tariffs on Canada and Mexico, citing their failure to curb the influx of fentanyl into the U.S. However, Trump has also noted that many of these tariffs are reciprocal, meaning they mirror the duties Canada places on U.S. imports.
Not all Canadians oppose this approach.
The CEO of Canada’s second-largest publicly traded company expressed support for Trump’s actions last month and criticized Trudeau for failing to prevent the trade dispute.
“Canada thrives when it works with America together. Win by helping America win. Trump believes that Canada has not held its side of the bargain,” Tobi Lutke, co-founder of Shopify, stated on the X platform.
“These are things that every Canadian wants its government to do, too. These are not crazy demands, even if they came from an unpopular source. These tariffs are going to be devastating to so many people’s lives and small businesses,” he added.
Lutke’s sharp critique followed Trudeau’s announcement of retaliatory tariffs—25% on $107 billion worth of U.S. goods—and his advocacy for policies targeting red states, as reported by the New York Post.
Founded in 2006, Shopify has become Canada’s largest tech company, valued at approximately $150 billion. The Post noted that it is the nation’s biggest startup and second in size only to the Royal Bank of Canada.
With a personal fortune of around $10 billion, Lutke is now recognized as Canada’s wealthiest citizen, the report further stated.
“Leadership is about doing what’s right, not what is popular. And hitting back will not lead to anything good. America will shrug it off. Canada will decline,” Lutke remarked regarding Trudeau’s planned countermeasures. “It’s simply the wrong choice in a possibility space where much better options would have been available.”
In 2023, Canada was the United States’ largest overall trading partner, with more than $900 billion worth of goods and services exchanged between the two countries.
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that last year, the U.S. imported roughly $377 billion in goods from Canada while exporting about $322 billion in return.
The tariffs are expected to hit Canada particularly hard, as approximately 75% of its exports go to the U.S., whereas only 13% of American exports are sent to its northern neighbor, The Post reported, citing Census data.