Mark Carney in Tokyo: Coffee, conversation and how to lead a charm offensive
“Shall we go for a little walk? Grab a coffee nearby?” he asked. It sounded like a perfect start to a sunny Saturday in March. After all, we’d both earned it. He’d already been up and at it for a few hours while I’d stayed out far too late on a school night. Nevertheless, we were both in position at 08.50 sharp on an upper floor at the Embassy of Canada to Japan and for the next 40 minutes it was Monocle in conversation with prime minister Mark Carney. (If you’d like to watch, listen or read one of the leader’s biggest sit-downs since taking office, be our guest. But if you’d prefer to flip through an extended version with some added tips for brand Canada, you can subscribe or pre-order the April issue here.)
I’ve known Carney since he was governor at the Bank of England and as his friend for the better part of a decade it was an added bonus to wander the back streets of Akasaka, enjoying a coffee in the sunshine and watching him greet visiting Canadians and local Japanese who wanted a photo or to simply say thank you. While I’ve always felt Canadian (despite a strong Estonian upbringing and living in Europe for more than 30 years), I can’t say that I’ve been particularly proud of late. There have been a few moments of pop culture and brand greatness that gave a nudge of patriotism and perhaps the first 10 days of Justin Trudeau felt promising – but it has been a lacklustre run for Canada despite all that it has going for it.
When I went to visit the PM shortly after he took up residence at Rideau Cottage early last summer (the country is in dire need of a new official residence but Carney has done a decent job with this family-sized fixer-upper), you could tell that things were about to change – or better yet, tighten up. Out went the comedy socks and footwear with Trudeau. Gone too are the poorly cut suits and weird ties. Carney is cutting a proper dash around the world (how fitting that he features across six pages in our April style issue) as he not only shows up for summits looking the part but dazzles with the quality of his speeches and conversation. For sure it’s important to be judged on what is said, agreed and delivered but Canada has been in need of a leader who shows up looking presentable and knows what’s required to host, impress and build bonds.
Canada is starting to rekindle dormant relationships and reboot areas that were closest to being defunct. To be sure, the task of sharpening brand Canada is considerable but thankfully the resources are bountiful and the human capital formidable. From aviation manufacturing (Bombardier) to agriculture, payment platforms (Shopify) and cranking out the hits (Shania, The Weeknd, Celine, Mendes, Alanis, Drake, Bublé), there are plenty of global brands that might want to shout a bit louder and not allow themselves to be mistaken for hailing from south of the border. Likewise, young Canadians need to get out into the world for years and not weeks, to build international experience and networks to match. If Carney can secure a majority government in the coming months and govern with confidence, then Canada has a handsome future ahead. Cheers to meeting and greeting the world pressed, polished and on point.
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