Mark Carney, former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, took office as Canada's new prime minister on Friday, replacing Justin Trudeau, who had resigned in January but remained in office until the party elected his replacement.
At 59, Carney takes office in a complicated context, one in which he will have to deal with tensions with the United States while preparing for an imminent general election. He is expected to call a general election in the coming days or weeks, amid a climate of resurgent Canadian nationalism.
Donald Trump announced that, starting April 2, a 25% tax will be imposed on Canadian steel and aluminum, and also warned that this could be extended to all Canadian products.
Furthermore, his statements about the possibility of annexing Canada as the "51st state" have sparked outrage among citizens and strengthened support for the Liberal Party in the polls.
While Carney stated that he is willing to negotiate with Trump, he cautioned that they are ready "to discuss a common and more comprehensive approach to trade, provided there is mutual respect."
Furthermore, a cabinet has already been formed with key figures to address the crisis, such as François-Philippe Champagne, who will take over as Minister of Finance, and Dominic LeBlanc, who will become Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.