Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney has officially launched his Liberal leadership campaign, positioning himself as someone who is ready to take on “unprecedented challenges” and won’t rely on “three-word slogans” to win.
Carney launched his bid to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from Edmonton, surrounded by supporters, family members and several backbench MPs.
“The system, it's not working as it should,” Carney said, citing climate change, the housing crisis and the threat of tariffs from the United States. “I’m here to ask for your support. I’m here to earn your trust to lead that fight.”
“I know I’m not the usual suspect when it comes to politics, but this is no time for politics as usual.”
The 59-year-old touted his private sector experience while promising to be “completely focused” on getting Canada’s economy “back on track.” He said this can’t be done by taking the Liberals to the far left.
“In the coming days and weeks, I'll propose some big changes and some bold new ideas. And I recognize, understand, that's not how politics is done these days, when lifelong politicians rely on slogans and slander and sound bites,” he said. “But once again, these are not ordinary times.”
During his speech, Carney directly attacked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s well-used slogan that “Canada is broken,” labelling it as a “dangerous” idea that will give the party “a licence to demolish and destroy.”
“Their three-word sound bites won't solve problems, but they will hurt regular people,” he said while claiming Poilievre is “chasing endorsements” from president-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.
Carney has spent the last few weeks painting himself an “outsider,” despite being brought on by Trudeau as a special adviser and chair of the Liberal Party’s task force on economic growth.
“There's a pretty big difference between being a member of the cabinet, a member of the caucus, the prime minister himself and being someone who occasionally their advice is asked,” he told reporters after the announcement.
It’s a framing the Conservatives have already tried to dispel. On Thursday, the party launched a new attack ad seeking to position Carney as a Trudeau ally and Liberal insider backing the carbon tax.
Carney would not confirm Thursday if he would keep or axe the consumer carbon tax, but he did say that a “comprehensive approach” is needed.
“I've said for a long time that if you were going to take out the carbon tax, you should replace it with something that is at least, if not more effective,” he said, before adding that he believes “Canadians will miss that money.”
Carney has yet to reveal where he will run as member of Parliament if he wins the leadership bid, noting that he “will run as an MP somewhere, but I’m running for prime minister.”
He said he will make the decision in the coming weeks, adding that regardless of the outcome of the next election, by doing so he will be making a commitment to his constituents as a member of Parliament.
Carney has already been endorsed by multiple Liberal backbenchers, as well as former deputy prime minister Anne McLellan.
What about Freeland?
Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, who could be Carney’s biggest competition in the race, is expected to confirm her leadership bid on Sunday from Toronto. Already, sources have leaked tidbits from her platform, which includes the elimination of the carbon tax and dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs to curb Trump's tariff threats.
Several MPs took to social media this week to announce they would endorse her in the contest, despite a lack of formal entry. That list includes former cabinet minister Randy Boissonnault, Health Minister Mark Holland and at least five other Liberal MPs.
When asked about Freeland’s plans to enter the race, Carney said he hopes to focus on himself. He did confirm, however, that the prime minister approached him about “various roles” in the fall.
Freeland resigned from cabinet on the morning the Liberals’ were set to drop their fall economic statement. Reports said Trudeau was discussing bringing Carney on as finance minister and moving Freeland to a different role.
Candidates have until Jan. 23 to declare their campaigns, with the entrance fee set at $350,000. So far, backbench MPs Jaime Battiste and Chandra Arya, as well as former MP Frank Baylis, are set to run.
Reports also suggest that government House leader Karina Gould will launch a bid.
The next leader will be chosen on March 9.
With files from Parliament Today's Palak Mangat
