By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Mark Carney says Canada will never be part of the United States, after being sworn in as the country’s 24th Prime Minister on Friday in a sudden rise to power.
“We will never, in any shape or form, be part of the US,” the former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England told a crowd outside Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
This is in open rejection of US President Donald Trump’s annexation threats. “We are very fundamentally a different country, ” he added.
Canada “expects respect” from the US, he stated, while also voicing hope his government could find ways “to work together” with the Trump administration.
Less than a week ago, Carney beat the former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, the former government house leader Karina Gould and the former member of parliament Frank Baylis with a dominant 85.9% of the vote, in a closely watched leadership race.
He has no prior elected experience and does not have a seat in the House of Commons, making him a rarity in Canadian history.
Carney is expected to announce an election in the coming days, reflecting both the urgency of Canada’s trade war with the US, and the awkward reality that as prime minister without a seat in parliament, he is unable to attend sessions of the House of Commons.
Asked about the comments by the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, on Friday morning that “economically speaking Canada would be better as the 51st state of the United States”, Carney replied: “It’s crazy. That’s all you can say.”
Earlier on Friday morning, Justin Trudeau formally resigned as Prime Minister, capping a nearly decade-long tenure. “Thank you, Canada – for trusting in me, for challenging me, and for granting me the privilege to serve the best country, and the best people, on Earth,” Trudeau said on social media.
Carney removed some key ministers who served in Trudeau’s cabinet and were seen as close allies of the former prime minister, including the health minister, Mark Holland, who endorsed Freeland in the leadership race and the immigration minister, Marc Miller, a longtime friend of Trudeau.
