Trudeau himself admitted that he had long been trying to recruit Mark Carney, most recently as finance minister, to his team.
“He would be a great addition at a time when Canadians need good people to step up in politics,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a NATO conference in July 2024.
Carney, 59, who has served as a special adviser to Trudeau in recent months, has long been considered a contender for the top job.
The Harvard graduate has never held public office, but has a strong economic background, having served at the top of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England.
He also brings with him environmental expertise through his role as the United Nations’ Special Envoy for Climate Action, recently calling the goal of net zero “the greatest commercial opportunity of our time.”
Carney is a proponent of some Liberal policies that have been unpopular in the country’s conservative circles, such as the federal carbon tax, the party’s signature climate policy, which critics say is a financial burden on Canadians.
He has also already criticized Pierre Pouilleau, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, saying his vision for the country’s future is “without a plan” and “just slogans.”
“I’m the one in the conversation who’s actually been in the business, who’s actually doing the business and making the decisions,” he said.
