Mark Carney’s Liberals seal dramatic comeback in Canada – the time to lead starts now
Defining yourself in opposition to Donald Trump has only so much rope – as Canada’s newly elected prime minister Mark Carney is about to find out (writes Tomos Lewis). Carney’s election campaign was dominated by matters beyond his country’s borders, specifically the economic upheaval caused by US tariffs and threats to Canadian sovereignty. Today, however, the campaigning stops and the job of leading begins.
Monday’s election result was a remarkable turnaround for Canada’s governing Liberal Party and represents one of the biggest swings in the history of the nation’s polling. A record 7.3 million early ballots were cast. Carney successfully framed Canada’s numerous internal challenges – high inflation, an urban-housing crisis and a paucity of defence spending – as reasons to loosen the country’s economic dependence on the US. Voters liked what they heard. But that combative talk now needs to turn into solid, actionable policy.
After campaigning as a political outsider who can freshen up governance for the future, Carney will now need to make good on his vow to move quickly and bring profound change. By Canada Day on 1 July, he has promised to pivot the nation’s trading and defence relationships towards new overseas alliances, streamline internal trade among Canada’s provinces and start building more homes. But before then he has another crucial milestone in chairing the G7 in June. It’s an opportunity for Carney to lead on a few global issues, not least whether he will help Western governments seize $300bn (€264bn) in frozen Russian assets to pay for the protection of Ukraine, which includes CA$22bn (€14bn).
The momentum that has driven the Liberal Party’s historic electoral comeback should not be allowed to ebb now that the campaign is over. A good hockey metaphor, employed prodigiously on the campaign trail, doesn’t land as well when you’re in power. Carney is no longer an outsider – it’s time for political point-scoring to make way for nation-building.
