Newly elected Liberal Leader Mark Carney says he has met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss his transition to the prime minister’s office.
“That transition will be seamless, and it will be quick,” Carney told reporters in the House of Commons on March 10.
Carney said he and Trudeau also discussed “the most important issues” for the country, citing Canada- U.S. relations and national security.
Carney also said he met with the Liberal caucus to hear from members, who relayed the concerns of their constituents.
“We know this is a crucial time for our country. We’re united to serve Canadians, and we will build this country,” Carney said.
The results of the Liberal leadership race on March 9 saw Carney win on the first ballot with 85.9 percent of the nearly 152,000 votes cast. Former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland won 8 percent of the vote, while former cabinet minister Karina Gould won 3.2 percent, and former Liberal MP Frank Baylis won 3 percent.
During his victory speech, Carney focused predominantly on U.S. tariffs, President Donald Trump’s rhetoric on merging Canada with the United States, and Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre. Carney also pledged to remove the consumer-facing carbon tax, which he characterized as “divisive,” and said he would stop the hike in capital gains tax. Both policies were introduced by the Liberal government under Trudeau.
Carney, a former Bank of Canada governor, is the first unelected prime minister who has never previously held public office. He will therefore need to gain a House seat, whether through a byelection or a general election. He has not announced which riding he intends to run in.
Trudeau announced on Jan. 6 that he would be resigning as prime minister once a new Liberal leader had been chosen. Last week, he said the exact date of his departure would be decided between him and the new leader.
Carney has picked former cabinet minister Marco Mendicino to serve as his incoming chief of staff.
Mendocino previously served as Trudeau’s public safety minister until being shuffled out of cabinet in 2023. At the beginning of 2025, Mendicino announced he would not be running as an MP in the next election, citing disagreements with the Liberal government’s foreign policy on Israel, and over its response to rising anti-Semitism in Canada.
The Tories have repeatedly called for Carney to disclose his financial assets before taking office, saying he should not become prime minister without disclosing his foreign holdings.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
