Central banker to PM, Carney's arc to top job

Prime Minister Mark Carney, whose Liberal Party won Canada's elections on Monday, is a two-time central banker and crisis fighter who now faces his biggest challenge of all: steering Canada through US President Donald Trump's tariffs.

- Reuters

OTTAWA:

Carney, 60, had never held office, which would in normal times have undermined his candidacy in Canada. But a high-profile banking career played to his advantage, with the Liberal leader arguing he is the only person prepared to handle Trump.

"Unlike Pierre Poilievre [Conservative rival], I've managed budgets before. I've managed economies before. I've managed crises before. This is the time for experience, not experiments," he told reporters last week.

Carney was elected Liberal leader in March, replacing then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who resigned amid low approval ratings after nearly a decade in office.

Carney was the first person to become Canadian prime minister without having experience as a legislator or Cabinet member. He quickly axed an unpopular carbon tax on consumers and capital gains tax measures, then called the elections, stressing the need to stand up to Trump.