Who is Mark Kearney, Canada’s new prime minister? : NPR

Mark Carney, a central banker-turned-centralist politician, will become Canada’s next prime minister after winning Sunday’s Liberal elections with nearly 86% of the vote.

Carney replaced longtime Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January after a decade in office and a sharp decline in approval ratings.

Since Trudeau announced his intention to resign, President Trump has repeatedly spoken about sudden tariffs after Canada and the US 51st nation, pulling out mutual tariffs, and angering many Canadians (some of whom have cancelled state visits, avoiding American products and supporting the American citizens of the hockey game).

Canada has also seen a rapid surge in liberals in recent polls, tying or outpacing the previously dominant Conservatives led by Pierre Poilierve.

“This has led to a revived nationalism, something I haven’t seen in Canada in a long time and has really benefited the liberals,” Jamie Trons, executive director of the Centre for Prosperity and Security in North America, told NPR last week.

Experts say it is largely due to rising anti-Trump sentiment and the lack of confidence that populists, who are populists whose rhetoric compares to Trump, will stand up to him.

Carney is rebellious against Trump, vowing in his acceptance speech on Sunday that “Canada will never become a part of America in form, form or form.”

“We didn’t ask for this fight, but Americans shouldn’t make a mistake because Canadians are always ready when someone else drops their gloves. In hockey, Canada wins,” said his own former college hockey player.

Carney is expected to be sworn in within days and will represent his party in this year’s general election. This must be held by October 20th.

But elections can be triggered much earlier than that. Congressional opposition parties could either force an early election with no confidence votes when they returned later this month, or Carney himself could call.

Carney, 59, has not previously been elected to public office and does not have a seat in Congress. It’s not unprecedented, but it means he won’t be able to participate in discussions or votes. And Canadian media suggests he can call the election earlier than later.

This is something else you need to know about him.

He led the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England

Kearney began his private sector career, spending over a decade in Goldman Sachs offices in London, Tokyo, New York and Toronto.

He returned to Canada and joined public services early on. He was appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Bank of Canada in 2003 (overseeing the country’s monetary policy), and the following year he became Senior Vice Minister of Finance.

Carney served as governor of the Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013. This is a period that includes the global financial crisis.

He then ran the Bank of England and became the first non-britton appointed between 2013 and 2020. Meanwhile, he – failed, but did not leave the European Union to the British and oversee the bank’s response to the impact of Brexit government bonds.

After leaving the Bank of England, Carney began his duties as the UN envoy on climate action and finances.

He is a Harvard and Oxford graduate.

Carney attended Harvard University, where he played a goaltender for the ice hockey team.

Leader Digest According to Carney’s 2011 profile in Canada, he intended to study British literature and mathematics, but gained a strong interest in economics while attending a lecture by Canadian-American economist John Kenneth Galbraith.

He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics in 1988 and received his Master’s and PhD in Economics from Oxford University.

“Even when I returned to college, I wanted to make his mark in public service,” said a fellow Canadian Peter Chiarelli, one of Carney’s Harvard roommates.

“I remember meeting Mark and I told my friend, ‘That guy would be prime minister,” Chiarelli said. “I mark it every year and maybe it will happen because he really cares about what he’s doing.”

He is the father of four

Kearney is married to Diana Fox Kearney, a British economist focusing on developing countries.

The two met in Oxford have four daughters: Cleo, Tess, Amelia and Sasha. Carney thanked them all in a speech on Sunday.

“I wouldn’t be standing here without your support,” he said. “Without your example, I have no purpose. Without your love, I have no power that is needed for what is ahead.”

While Carney’s children were largely out of the public eye, Harvard freshman daughter Cleo introduced him on stage after Sunday’s victory.

“I want Canadians to understand what he is,” said Cleo Carney, according to Harvard Crimson. “He is unwaveringly working together what he cares about. My dad is investing in things that matters. He expects nothing will come without working hard, and he is always ready to work hard.”

He has triple citizenship – at least for now

Kearney was born in Canada – in Fort Smith, a town in the northwest region – holds British and Ireland citizenship.

Kearney’s grandparents moved from Ireland to Canada, and according to Irish times he calls that Irish heritage “a big part of who I am.” He acquired Irish citizenship in the 1980s and became a British citizen in 2018 while running the UK central bank.

However, as a candidate for Prime Minister, he said he intends to renounce British and Ireland’s citizenship. Carney told reporters this month that he wrote letters to those governments to begin the process.

He said that some Canadian politicians have multiple passports, but the prime minister believes they shouldn’t.

“I’m not judging anyone else,” Carney said. “I say I am the prime minister. I should only hold one citizenship.”

He was critical of Trump

Carney was speaking out for his differences with Trump throughout his campaign.

Last month, he compared the president to the villain of the Harry Potter franchise, spoke with Winnipeg supporters, saying he didn’t want to respect the dignity of Trump’s annexation story.

“When I’m thinking about these outrageous, humiliating comments from the President, comments about what we can do, I consider this to be like Voldemort of comments,” Carney said. “I’m not going to repeat it, but you know what I’m talking about.”

During his victory speech on Sunday, he accused Trump of attacking Canadian workers, families and businesses of attacking “what we have built, what we sell, how we earn a livelihood.”

Carney said his government has pledged to maintain tariffs until Americans show respect for us.

Colin Robertson, a former Canadian diplomat currently at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, told the morning edition of NPR on Monday that he believes Carney will challenge and listen to Trump, saying that Carney “speaks Canada and I hope Trump is getting attention as to why this doesn’t make sense.”

Robertson, who first met Kearney in the 1990s, said the next prime minister has a deep sense of public service and a large network of financial years.

“Safe hands,” he added. “He’s not particularly accused of being charismatic, but he wants to focus on growth, something Canada needs today when paying for everything you need, whether it’s public services or defense.”