The dapper former Bank of England governor has taken a party which had fallen out of favour with voters after three terms and in the economic doldrums to a resounding victory on the wings of anti-Trump indignation. He did so by confronting the arrogance of his mighty neighbour, in a campaign opposing the US President on tariffs – and squaring up to a repeated riff, bordering on threat, to make Canada a part of the US.
In a period when many G7 countries have opted to play for time with the US President or, as with Keir Starmer’s government, bank on avoiding conflicts with a turbulent White House in the hope of leveraging advantages in the end, Carney opted for forthright fightback, underlining his country’s sovereignty, in several speeches. This approach gladdened a lot of hearts in Europe, too: ditch conflict-avoidance and lay out a firm, rather than squelchy, subservience.
Poilievre had appeared as the coming man in the age of noisy populists who channeled public resentment at out of touch elites, but found himself undermined by Trump’s barrage of social posts about Canada’s shortcomings and status. He ended up brusquely asking a US President he often resembled in style and tone to “stay out of our election”.
Really, there is no likely way that the US could annex Canada. But by taking the threat of doing so seriously, Carney added votes on the back of national pride, telling his final rally: “President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never, that will never, ever happen.”
Tensions and scandals plagued the last government, amplified by policy failures. There is a housing shortage for average and new earners, a proliferation of drug infestation in cities as the Fentanyl crisis grips West Coast urban centres, and cost of living crises are biting into the middle class.
In his acceptance speech, he pivoted carefully towards talking about the need for Canada to build a new relationship with the US “as two sovereign nations”, while emphasising that he is seeking dialogue and ultimately a deal, not a long and damaging freeze with Washington.
square ANNE MCELVOY
Trump's blue suit screamed for attention - just like he wanted
Read MoreA whirlwind campaign after Trudeau lost the confidence of his cabinet means Canadians need to get to know a new leader who has been out of the country for many years. As one commentator puts it, Carney “knows Oxfordshire (where he often spent weekends in the UK) better than Ontario”. That is not strictly true, but the point reminds us that for many in his homeland, Carney is regarded as a re-import who needs to establish himself as more than a lucky opportunist in politics.
It was indeed “time to win” and Carney celebrated by rocking out in the way of centrist dads in some style. The day job will be a rather more mundane slog to take the edge off damaging trade levies, improve a faltering economic legacy and balance cuts he has pledged to carbon taxes with incentives for greener growth. There are more difficult decisions ahead on whether to reopen oil and gas drilling and a lagging defence budget.
But the sub-text is that he also needs a deal as “two sovereign nations” who would confront crises “with overwhelming, positive force”. That is code for getting back to the negotiating table: a reminder that even for a punk PM, campaigning in rap poetry is followed by governing in prose.
Anne McElvoy is co-host of the Politics at Sam and Anne’s podcast with Politico/Sky
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