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Mark Carney, Canada's incoming prime minister, launched a fierce rebuke of President Donald Trump in his victory speech Sunday night after winning the Liberal Party leadership race by a landslide.
"America is not Canada. And Canada will never, ever...be a part of America in any way, shape or form," Carney declared to supporters, directly addressing Trump's recent suggestions about Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state.
The former central banker won overwhelming support, securing votes from nearly 86% of the party's 151,899 registered members. Carney will replace Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation earlier this year amid mounting pressure from within his party.
In his combative address, Carney characterized Trump as "someone who is trying to weaken our economy" through "unjustified tariffs" and vowed to maintain Canada's retaliatory measures "until the Americans show us respect."
"The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country," Carney warned. "If they succeeded, they would destroy our way of life."
The former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor didn't stop there, taking aim at the U.S. healthcare system: "In America, healthcare is a big business...in Canada it is a right."
Carney urged Canadians to unite against what he called "dark days brought on by a country we can no longer trust," adding a hockey metaphor: "We didn't ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves...so the Americans should make no mistake, in trade as in hockey, Canada will win."
Trump recently told Fox News he was "serious" about wanting to absorb Canada, claiming the country would "be much better off" as part of the United States.
Carney's unusual background sets him apart from career politicians. He successfully steered the Bank of Canada through the 2008 financial crisis before becoming the first non-British citizen to lead the Bank of England, where he navigated the economic challenges of Brexit.
Though currently lacking a parliamentary seat, Carney is expected to be sworn in "in the coming days or week," according to Trudeau. The new prime minister will likely call an early federal election, ahead of the October 2025 deadline.
