Ex-central banker Mark Carney set to become Canada PM

Former central banker Mark Carney coasted to a landslide victory on Sunday to become the new leader of the ruling Liberal Party, paving the way for him to succeed Justin Trudeau as Canada's prime minister.

- Anirudh Bhattacharyya

TORONTO:

Carney, 59, garnered nearly 86% of the approximately 152,000 votes cast by registered party members. His closest rival, former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland, could only manage 8% support in the leadership race.

In his victory speech at the Roger's Centre in Ottawa on Sunday, Carney focused his attention on the threat posed to Canada by US President Donald Trump, as he said the country faced "dark days". "We needed big changes, guided by strong Canadian values," he said, in order to confront Trump. "I will use those values again as we face the most serious threat in a generation," he stressed. "Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country," he warned.

Targets Conservative Party leader Carney also attacked his principal rival, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, but also adopted several policies that the opposition has backed in the last year, including eliminating a consumer carbon tax, stopping a hike in capital gains tax, reducing government spending and building energy pipelines.