Former central banker Mark Carney has been sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Canada. Fifty-nine-year-old Carney replaces Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who was in office for nine years. 

 

Governor General Mary Simon – the personal representative of King Charles, who is Canada’s head of state – presided over the ceremony of 24th Prime Minister in Ottawa yesterday. 

 

A new Cabinet of 13 men and 11 women was sworn in, smaller than Trudeau’s 37-member team.

 

Addressing his first press conference after his cabinet was sworn in, Mr Carney said that Canada will never become a part of the United States. He said that Canada is fundamentally a different country. 

 

He said that Canada expects respect from America and US President Donald Trump. Mr Carney has said he is ready to meet with Mr Trump if he shows respect for Canadian sovereignty. 

 

He said he doesn’t plan to visit Washington at the moment but hopes to have a phone call with the president soon. Carney said he will travel to Europe to visit French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the coming days.

 

Mr Carney is widely expected to trigger a general election in the coming days or weeks. He navigated crises when he was the head of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis, and then in 2013 when he became the first non-citizen to run the Bank of England – helping to manage the worst impacts of Brexit in the UK.