Mark Carney is poised to be sworn in as Canada’s prime minister on Friday at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, marking the beginning of a new administration with a more streamlined Cabinet. The ceremony, scheduled for 11 a.m. local time, will be presided over by Governor General Mary Simon, as confirmed by her office in a statement released on Wednesday.
On the same day, outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will formally step down, leading to the dissolution of his 37-member Cabinet. Carney, who secured a decisive victory in the Liberal leadership race, is anticipated to appoint a significantly smaller team. According to sources cited by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), approximately 15 to 20 ministers are expected to be sworn in alongside him.
Over the past two days, Carney’s transition team has been notifying ministers about their roles, with many likely to be reassigned or removed from the Cabinet. Key figures responsible for Canada-US relations, including Foreign Minister Melanie Joly, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, and Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, are expected to retain their positions.
One of Carney’s immediate priorities will be addressing ongoing trade tensions with the United States. During a recent visit to ArcelorMittal Dofasco, a steel manufacturer in Hamilton, the prime minister-designate criticized the new 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imposed by US President Donald Trump, which came into effect on Wednesday. In response, Canada has introduced retaliatory tariffs of the same percentage on nearly $30 billion worth of US imports.
Carney brings a wealth of experience to his new role, having previously served as the governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England. He also held a prominent position at Goldman Sachs and played a pivotal role in guiding Canada through the 2008 financial crisis. His leadership is expected to bring a fresh perspective to Canada’s domestic and international policies.
