Mark Carney, a former governor of the Bank of Canada and a former head of the Bank of England, plans to announce that he is entering the race to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. According to an invitation sent by Liberal legislator George Chahal and as quoted by CBC News, 59-year-old Carney is launching his bid on Thursday in Edmonton. The decision has been made just after Trudeau announced his resignation from the post of prime minister this month. His resignation came because of discontentment within his party over weak electoral prospects ahead of an impending election.
Carney, with immense financial experience, is an outsider in the contest. He would bring a refreshing perspective with global finance experience and leadership positions under his belt. Trudeau, who has served as prime minister since 2015, will continue to serve until a new leader is selected on March 9. The party is riven by internal divisions, and with polls suggesting the Conservative opposition is poised to win an imminent election, Carney’s leadership may signal a new way forward for the party.
The former finance minister Chrystia Freeland is the other primary opponent of Carney in the race. Her resignation last month led to Trudeau’s resignation decision. Carney has underlined the commitment to answering many of the most vital national issues, such as housing and cost of living. Though an individual close to Trudeau, many Conservatives believe Carney will just continue with the policies of his predecessor, with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre branding him a “Trudeau acolyte” and supporter of his “destructive policies”.
A former Goldman Sachs executive, Carney has had a track record in finance that has helped Canada navigate through the 2008 global financial crisis. He has also served as a UN special envoy and now chairs Brookfield Asset Management in climate action.
