Mark Carney is all set to be sworn in as Canada’s next Prime Minister on Friday morning (March 14) along with his cabinet, the governor general’s office announced on Wednesday. This will mark the end of Justin Trudeau’s tenure, who stayed in power for over nine years.
“Governor General Mary Simon will preside over the swearing-in of Carney and his cabinet ministers Friday at 11:00 AM,” her office said in a statement, as reported by AFP.
Former central banker, Carney, was elected the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada on Sunday. He will now become Canada’s 24th Prime Minister. A Bloomberg report on Wednesday said that Carney’s new cabinet may be about half the size of Trudeau’s executive.
The cabinet is expected to have between 15 and 20 ministers, down from the current number of 37, including the prime minister, the report added, citing a source.
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Carney’s appointment as the next PM comes at a time when the situation remains tense between Canada and its longtime ally US due to the trade war.
The new Liberal leader had promised a “seamless and quick” transition from Trudeau, who resigned in January. Carney was elected as the Liberal party leader with overwhelming support, winning 86 percent of more than 150,000 votes cast.
In his victory speech, the 59-year-old political novice slammed US President Donald Trump and stressed, “In trade as in hockey, Canada will win.”
He also accued Trump of “attacking Canadian workers, families, and businesses” and that US was trying to weaken Canadian economy by imposing “unjustified tariffs”. Carney vowed that he will not allow Trump to succeed.
Carney on Wednesday said he was “ready to sit down” with Trump to negotiate a renewed trade deal to avoid further economic tussling. Earlier, the US slapped a 25 percent levy on steel and aluminum imports on Canada, following which the latter hit back with retaliatory tariffs.
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