Canada’s governing Liberal Party will announce a new leader on Sunday, selecting a replacement for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the country grapples with U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and a looming federal election.
Liberal members are expected to choose former central bank governor Mark Carney as the party’s next leader and Canada’s new prime minister in a vote set for Sunday evening.
Carney, 59, previously led the Bank of Canada and later made history in 2013 as the first noncitizen to head the Bank of England since its founding in 1694. His leadership during the 2008 financial crisis won bipartisan praise in the U.K., as Canada rebounded faster than many global economies.
The opposition Conservative Party aimed to make the upcoming election a referendum on Trudeau, whose approval ratings declined amid rising food and housing prices and immigration concerns. Although Trudeau announced his resignation in January, he remains prime minister until a successor is sworn in. Election laws require a general election by fall, but experts anticipate an earlier vote this spring.
Trump’s trade war and comments suggesting Canada should become “the 51st U.S. state” have sparked backlash among Canadians. Fans have booed the American national anthem at NHL and NBA games, while many have canceled travel to the U.S. and boycotted American products.
This surge in Canadian nationalism has strengthened Liberal Party prospects ahead of an imminent election, with polls showing improved public support.
“We have built the greatest country in the world, and now our neighbors want to take us. No way,” Carney stated.
Carney has secured endorsements from multiple Cabinet ministers and Members of Parliament since launching his candidacy in January. A highly respected economist with Wall Street experience, he has long been seen as a potential prime ministerial candidate, despite lacking political experience.
His main challenger is Chrystia Freeland, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance. Trudeau reportedly asked Freeland to step down as finance minister in December, though she was offered a continued role as deputy prime minister and key liaison for U.S.-Canada relations. Instead, she resigned, later releasing a scathing letter criticizing the government—an event widely seen as a pivotal moment in Trudeau’s decision to step aside.
The Liberal Party is expected to honor Trudeau’s leadership during Sunday’s announcement, with more than 151,000 members participating in the vote.
“There is an incredible wave of patriotism across this country,” Freeland said. “All of us have one message for Donald Trump tonight—Canada will never be the 51st state.”
Following the leadership vote, the new Liberal leader is likely to trigger a general election. This could happen either through a direct call for an election or via an opposition-led no-confidence vote in Parliament later this month.
Canada now stands at a critical political crossroads, as the next leader will shape the nation’s response to U.S.-Canada relations, economic challenges, and an increasingly unstable global trade environment.
