TORONTO (AP) — Canada's next prime minister met with outgoing prime minister Justin Trudeau on Monday and vowed a quick transition.
Mark Carney said he had a long meeting with Trudeau in which they discussed U.S.-Canada relations, national security issues and the timing of the handover in power.
“That transition will be seamless and it will be quick,” said Carney, adding there would be an announcement soon.
Carney, a two-time central bank chief, will become prime minister after the governing Liberal Party elected him its leader Sunday in a landslide vote with 85.9% support.
Carney, 59, replaces Trudeau who announced his resignation in January but remains prime minister until his successor is sworn in.
Carney is widely expected to trigger a parliamentary election in the coming days or weeks amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff and annexation threats. Or the opposition parties in Parliament could force one with a no-confidence vote later this month.
Carney is a former Goldman Sachs executive with no experience in politics.
He navigated crises when he was the head of the Bank of Canada from 2008, and then in 2013 when he became the first non-citizen to run the Bank of England since it was founded in 1694. His appointment won bipartisan praise in the U.K. after Canada recovered from the 2008 financial crisis faster than many other countries. He helped managed the worst impacts of Brexit in the U.K.
The opposition Conservatives had hoped to make the election about Trudeau, whose popularity declined as food and housing prices rose and immigration surged.
But Trump's trade war and his talk of making Canada the 51st U.S. state have have infuriated Canadians, who are booing the American anthem at NHL and NBA games. Some are canceling trips south of the border, and many are avoiding buying American goods when they can.
The surge in Canadian nationalism has bolstered the Liberal Party’s chances in a parliamentary election, and Liberal showings have been improving in opinion polls.
“There is tremendous energy in the Liberal caucus," Carney said. “This is a united party full of energy."
Trump has postponed 25% tariffs on many goods from Canada and Mexico for a month, amid widespread fears of a broader trade war. But he has threatened other tariffs on steel, aluminum, dairy and other products.
Carney said Sunday night that Canada will keep its initial retaliatory tariffs in place until “the Americans show us respect.” He said Canada didn't start the fight but would win.
Billionaire Michael Bloomberg, a former New York City mayor, called the U.S.-Canada relationship vital and said there's no one more prepared to strengthen it than Carney.
“Mark is one of the smartest, most capable, and steady-handed leaders I know,” Bloomberg posted on X.
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