Liberal Leader Mark Carney will officially become Canada’s next prime minister within a few hours, taking the reins as the country barrels toward a general election and continues to fend off verbal and economic attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump.
The former central banker will become Canada’s 24th prime minister after Governor General Mary Simon swears him in at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
The swearing-in will begin around 11 a.m. ET and CBC News will have special coverage beginning at 10 a.m.
Outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with Simon first to resign and recommend that she ask the new leader to form a government and new ministry.
After Carney is officially in place, his cabinet will then take their oaths.
Leaner cabinet likely
The prime minister-designate is expected to form a leaner cabinet than his predecessor, with a laser focus on safeguarding Canada’s economy during the trade war, negotiating with U.S. officials and upholding Canadian sovereignty as Trump continues to call for Canada to join the U.S.
Trudeau’s cabinet was made up of 37 ministers, including himself. Sources with knowledge of Carney’s plans said his team will be in the range of 15 to 20 portfolios.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly is keeping her job, according to sources with knowledge of the decision, and is also taking responsibility for international development. Other key players on the Canada-U.S. relations file, like Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, are also expected to stay in place.
Carney has invited leadership rival Chrystia Freeland to be transport minister, sources with knowledge of the decision told CBC News. Karina Gould, who also ran in the leadership race, has not been offered a cabinet post.
Sources with knowledge of the decision told Radio-Canada that Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos will not be in Carney’s cabinet, nor will International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen.
Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault, an ardent defender of the carbon tax, is being shuffled into a new role. Carney has promised he will get rid of the consumer carbon tax.
Guilbeault will assume a larger role of Quebec lieutenant (a role formerly held by Duclos) and a new portfolio that includes biodiversity and Canadian heritage, according to a source with knowledge of the decision.
Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Gary Anandasangaree, who also serves as minister of northern affairs, is set to become the justice minister and Canada’s attorney general while keeping his other portfolios, sources with knowledge of the decision told CBC News.
Several current ministers, some with portfolios expected to be maintained even in a leaner cabinet, have said they won’t run in the next election. They include Justice Minister Arif Virani, Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge and, as of Thursday, Health Minister Mark Holland.
Election call expected soon
The former Bank of Canada governor, who turns 60 on Sunday, could hold the title of prime minister for just a matter of weeks as he is expected to call an election soon.
It’s widely believed he’ll call an election before March 24, when Parliament is scheduled to return, meaning Canadians would vote in late April or early May.
Carney does not hold a seat in the House of Commons. A source close to Carney said a decision hasn’t been made yet on the riding where he’ll be the Liberal candidate.
Carney is expected to travel to London and Paris next week, according to sources with knowledge of the trip. It will be his first official trip as prime minister.
The Carney era of Canadian politics was triggered when Trudeau announced in early January his intention to step down. The decision came following a growing caucus revolt and Freeland’s resignation from cabinet.
At the time, the party was in a deep polling slump, trailing Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives by more than 20 points. Recent polling suggests the Liberals are bouncing back.
While only a small amount of polling hs been conducted since Carney annihilated his opponents to win at Sunday’s leadership convention, the CBC Poll Tracker suggests the gap between the Conservatives and Liberals is closing.
