Mark Carney, the former central banker infamous for his Brexit scaremongering and deep ties to globalist institutions, will be Canada’s new prime minister—despite not even holding a seat in Parliament. The former Bank of England governor won the battle to lead the country’s ruling Liberal Party with 85% of the vote of the 151,899 Liberal party members who voted, replacing ‘King of Woke’ Justin Trudeau.
In his victory speech on Sunday night, Carney’s rhetoric was incendiary, portraying U.S. President Donald Trump as a dire threat to Canada’s “way of life” and vowing to push back against American economic power. “They want our resources, our water, our land, our country… If they succeeded, they would destroy our way of life,” he claimed.
However, critics question how long he can survive in office: he has no seat in Parliament, his mandate is shaky, and an election must be held by October—one that polling suggests the Liberals will likely lose to the Conservatives under Pierre Poilievre.
Carney’s political interventions are nothing new. As governor of the Bank of England, he was one of the loudest voices in the so-called “Project Fear” campaign to stop Brexit, despite supposedly being politically neutral.
In the run-up to the 2016 referendum, Carney called Brexit the “biggest domestic risk to financial stability” in the UK. He also warned that the country could fall into a recession if it voted to leave the EU—predictions that did not come to pass. At one point, he even claimed that Britain would be left relying on the “kindness of strangers” if it dared to break free from Brussels. His consistent alignment with EU bureaucrats raised eyebrows among Leave campaigners, who accused him of trying to influence the vote.
His election also comes as some Eurocrats and members of Canada’s liberal-left have begun floating the far-fetched idea of Canada joining the European Union, arguing that stronger ties with Brussels would provide an alternative to its strained relationship with the U.S. Proponents claim that Canada’s political values align more closely with Europe than with its increasingly unpredictable southern neighbour.
While Carney’s history as a technocrat would make him ideally suited to life as a member of the EU elite, critics question whether Canada should entangle itself in a bloc plagued by dysfunction, a sluggish economy, and an ever-expanding bureaucratic apparatus that stifles economic growth.
Carney’s downfall, however, will likely be due to the fact that his political instincts remain untested and deeply flawed. His fixation on standing up to Trump and aligning with Europe risks turning Canada into a globalist experiment rather than a sovereign nation with a clear, independent vision. Critics also point out that his weak political base, lack of elected experience, and inability to connect with key voter blocs all raise serious questions about his ability to govern effectively.
Adding to his vulnerabilities is his poor command of French, a critical skill for any Canadian prime minister. His struggles were evident in a recent leadership debate, where he mistakenly stated that he was “in agreement with Hamas” before hastily correcting himself. French-speaking areas of Canada have historically rejected leaders who fail to speak the language fluently.
With an election looming and opposition leader Pierre Poilievre gaining momentum, Carney’s stint as prime minister could be one of the shortest in Canadian history. His tenure will be a test of whether Canadians prefer a leader focused on national interests or one beholden to the interests of international elites.
