TORONTO: Former central banker Mark Carney was sworn in as Canada鈥檚 new prime minister on Friday, and will now try to steer his country through a trade war brought by US President Donald Trump, annexation threats and an expected federal election.
Carney, 59, replaces Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January but remained in power until the Liberal Party elected a new leader. Carney is widely expected to trigger a general election in the coming days or weeks.
鈥淲e will never, ever, in any way shape or form, be part of the United States. America is not Canada,鈥� Carney said. 鈥淲e are very fundamentally a different country.鈥�
The governing Liberal Party had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared economic war and repeatedly has said Canada should become the 51st state. Now the party and its new leader could come out on top.
Carney has said he鈥檚 ready to meet with Trump if he shows respect for Canadian sovereignty. He said he doesn鈥檛 plan to visit Washington at the moment but hopes to have a phone call with the president soon.
鈥淭he president is a successful businessman and deal maker. We鈥檙e his largest client in so many industries,鈥� Carney said. 鈥淐lients expect respect and working together in a proper commercial way.鈥�

Carney 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 noncitizen to run the Bank of England 鈥� helping to manage the worst impacts of Brexit in the UK
Carney, a former Goldman Sachs executive with no experience in politics, becomes Canada鈥檚 24th prime minister. He said protecting Canadian workers and their families in the face of unjustified trade actions and growing the economy will be his top priorities.
Carney said he will travel to Europe to visit French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the coming days. He received invitations from both.
鈥淲e must diversify our trade partners and strengthen our security in so doing,鈥� Carney said.
Trump put 25 percent tariffs on Canada鈥檚 steel and aluminum and is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products April 2. He has threatened economic coercion in his annexation threats and suggested the border is a fictional line.
Carney called the idea 鈥渃razy.鈥�
The US trade war and Trump鈥檚 talk of making Canada the 51st US state have infuriated Canadians, who are booing the American anthem at NHL and NBA games. Some are canceling trips south of the border, and many are avoiding buying American goods when they can.
Carney said he鈥檚 worked with Trump before at G7 and G20 summits during Trump鈥檚 first presidency.
鈥淲e share some experiences. I have been in the private sector. I have worked in the real estate sector. I have done large transactions,鈥� Carney said. 鈥淲e will both be looking out for our countries but he knows, and I know from long experience, that we can find mutual solutions that win for both.鈥�
The opposition Conservatives hoped to make the election about Trudeau, whose popularity declined as food and housing prices rose and immigration surge.

But after decades of bilateral stability, the vote on Canada鈥檚 next leader now is expected to focus on who is best equipped to deal with the US
鈥淗e will do very well. He鈥檚 respected internationally,鈥� former Prime Minister Jean Chr茅tien told reporters Friday. But, he added: 鈥淭here is no magic solution. This is not a normal situation. We鈥檝e never seen someone who changes his mind every five minutes as president of the United States.鈥�
A new Cabinet of 13 men and 11 women was sworn in, smaller than Trudeau鈥檚 37-member team. Fran莽ois-Philippe Champagne becomes Canada鈥檚 new finance minister, the government鈥檚 second most powerful position. Champagne has said a new prime minister offers a chance of a reset with Trump.
Dominic LeBlanc goes from finance to to intergovernmental affairs. M茅lanie Joly remains foreign minister. Chrystia Freeland, a former deputy prime minister and finance minister who lost to Carney in the Liberal Party leadership race, becomes minister of transport and internal trade.
Carney met his Cabinet and eliminated a consumer carbon price on his first day, undoing Trudeau鈥檚 signature climate policy. He called his government 鈥淐anada鈥檚 new government鈥� in an effort to distance himself from Trudeau.
Carney also took aim at opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, a career politician who Carney said is always negative.
鈥淣egativity won鈥檛 pay the rent or the mortgage. Negativity won鈥檛 bring down the price of groceries. Negativity won鈥檛 win a trade war,鈥� he said.
Poilievre urged Canadians not to give the Liberals a fourth mandate, saying it鈥檚 the same Liberal government and that Carney is 鈥渏ust like Justin.鈥�