Mark Carney strode alone to Rideau Hall to be sworn in as Canada’s 24th prime minister.
The newest Liberal Party leader — elected in a landslide vote Sunday night despite never holding political office — arrived shortly after his future cabinet. They came in groups, staggered a few moments apart, and entered the Governor General’s residence with little fanfare.
While a historic day, this was by no means a celebration. The swearing-in ceremony, which lasted just over an hour, contained few displays of emotion, and hardly any from Carney. He shook each minister’s hand after they took their oaths of office. Former prime minister Justin Trudeau would have likely welcomed them to the ministerial team with a hug.
As he entered Rideau Hall to become prime minister, Carney told reporters waiting outside that this would be a “very focused government, focused on action.”
The first big action came hours later. During his first cabinet meeting, Carney announced his government would eliminate the consumer carbon tax immediately. He confirmed that the government would still issue a carbon tax rebate before the end of April.
“We’ve already taken a big decision as this cabinet because this is a cabinet that’s focused on action,” he said in a statement.
“It’s focused on getting more money in the pockets of Canadians.
“It’s focused on building this economy with all the tools that we have here.”
Eliminating the carbon tax is “part of a much bigger set of measures that this government is taking to ensure that we fight against climate change, that our companies are competitive, and the country moves forward.”
‘Focused cabinet’
Carney gave few details about what his next steps as prime minister will be. In a speech to reporters earlier in the day, he declined to say when he would call an election or when he would speak with U.S. President Donald Trump.
“The news is behind me, an exceptional group of individuals who are serving Canada,” he told reporters, referring to the cabinet ministers lined up behind him. He called his team a “united, focused cabinet, focused on action, focused on the issues for Canadians.”
The most pressing issue facing Canadians is protecting Canadian jobs during the ongoing trade war with the United States, Carney told reporters. Because of the tensions between the two countries, it was important to keep ministers who had experience dealing with the U.S. and the Trump administration, he said.
Carney’s cabinet has 23 ministers, as well as himself, a significant decrease from Trudeau’s final cabinet which had 36 ministers.
Most ministers — 19 — were in Trudeau’s final cabinet, which was dissolved on Thursday. But many are now in different portfolios. Carney’s cabinet also includes Chrystia Freeland, whose December resignation as finance minister and deputy prime minister sent the Liberal Party into a tailspin. Freeland is now minister of transport and internal trade. François-Philippe Champagne, previously minister of innovation, science and industry, takes over as finance minister.
Dominic Leblanc, who was named finance minister after Freeland’s departure, becomes minister of international trade and intergovernmental affairs. Mélanie Joly is staying on as minister of foreign affairs.
Joly was not at the swearing-in ceremony as she was attending a meeting of foreign affairs ministers of G7 countries in Charlevoix, Que.
Liberal leadership contender Karina Gould is not in cabinet. Neither is Frank Baylis, who is not an MP, but also ran for leader.
MPs Chrystia Freeland, Nathaniel Erskine-Smith and Anita Anand arrive to Rideau Hall before prime minister-designate Mark Carney’s swearing in ceremony. A guard stands outside Rideau Hall prior to Mark Carney’s swearing in ceremony. Rideau Hall. Rideau Hall. Gen. Jennie Carignan leaves Rideau Hall after the swearing in ceremony of Prime Minister Mark Carney. 
Former governor general David Johnston leaves Rideau Hall after Prime Minister Mark Carney’s swearing in ceremony.
No meeting date
Carney’s first statements as prime minister repeated several of the themes he spoke about after winning the Liberal leadership race. He focused on Canada’s unique identity, saying that a swearing-in ceremony that began and ended with Indigenous prayers and included French and English would never happen in the U.S. He called Trump’s characterization of Canada as the 51st state “crazy.”
“We will never, ever in any way, shape or form be part of the U.S.,” he said. “America is not Canada.”
But he said he would not use his upcoming trip to the U.K. and France to shore up international support for Canada.
“We’re masters in our own home,” he said. “We’re in charge. It’s always nice when people say nice things about you, but we don’t need it. We’re not seeking it.”
Discussions with leaders of the U.K. and France will focus on the countries’ shared history and opportunities for collaboration.
He offered no timeline for when he would speak to Trump, saying that would happen “at the appropriate moment.”
“We’re his largest client in so many industries,” he said. “Clients expect respect and working together in a proper commercial way.”
Canada respects the concerns raised by the U.S. regarding the “scourge of fentanyl,” Carney said. The government is making “tremendous progress” on this issue, he said.
Carney highlighted the common experiences he has with Trump, including work in the private and real estate sectors, and working together at G7 and G20 meetings during Trump’s first presidency.
“We’ll both be looking out for our countries, but he knows and I know from long experience that we can find mutual solutions that win for both.”
Not impressed
Carney took shots at his strongest Canadian rival during his remarks. He decried Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s consistent refusal to obtain security clearance, noting that he had gotten his own in two weeks.
He reaffirmed the Liberals’ support for the CBC, and complimented journalists present at the conference.
“Negativity isn’t strength,” Carney said in his speech. “We know that negativity won’t pay the rent or the mortgage, won’t bring down the price of groceries. Negativity won’t win a trade war. We know that by building together we can give ourselves far more than anyone else can take away.”
At a press conference shortly after the ceremony, Poilievre fired back at the new prime minister.
“Today, Liberals are trying to trick Canadians into electing them for a fourth term of power, with a cabinet that is 87 per cent the same as Trudeau’s cabinet,” Poilievre told reporters at the Rogers Centre, a convention centre in downtown Ottawa. “One-hundred per cent of today’s Liberal cabinet were in Justin Trudeau’s Liberal caucus.”
Speaking before Carney’s first cabinet meeting, Poilievre said he was not convinced Carney would eliminate the carbon tax.
“These same Liberal MPs voted to hike the carbon tax,” said Poilievre, referring to the price on carbon mandated by the 2018 Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act. “This law cannot be eliminated unless Parliament resumes to vote it down.”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the new cabinet shows Carney is not interested in workers. He criticized Carney for not naming a minister of labour.
Steven MacKinnon, formerly minister of employment, workforce development and labour, was named minister of jobs and families.
“That is very problematic to me,” said Singh. Not including labour in the title shows that Carney does not prioritize workers, he told reporters.
Singh said his priority is creating a plan to protect workers before going to an election.
Singh also raised concerns that there are no ministers responsible for diversity, women or people with disabilities.
Kamal Khera, who previously was minister of diversity, inclusion and persons with disabilities, was named the new minister of health. Mark Holland, the previous minister of health, announced Thursday that he would not seek re-election.
No DEI? That’s good, but he’ll have to try harder if he wants my vote.
Carney stated in his runup to PM that he would call an election as soon as parliament resumes, he will cancel the carbon tax, he will look out for Canadian interests. Now that he is PM, he is saying an election will occur by November (big surprise). he is arranging meetings with leaders in Europe and Britain, but not speaking to Parliament because it is still prorogued. He needs to be in the business of governing in Canada, not running around taking meetings with foreign nations during this period of crisis. As to dealing with Trump at sometime in the future, why wait? We need a plan to be presented to the Canadian people as soon as possible along with an election to vote on not just who should be PM, but our grievances with the Liberal party operating as a minority government without the support of most Canadians. Going into the election, he cannot simply steal ideas from the Conservative Party of Canada, but needs to articulate how this Liberal party is different from the one we knew and despised for the better part of a decade. So far, it is the Liberals old governing style wrapped up with new wrapping paper.
The simple fact that the conservative leader, PP, refuses to get security clearance, is proof that he is hiding the truth about himself. He is a small man with a small past, and he would sell out Canadians in a heartbeat.
Our new PM has enormous experience in the world, and everyone needs to consider this vast experience. We need an adult, a real man, like Mark Carney, to lead us.
I know Trudeau disappointed many people, but please, give let Carney lead us forward against the aggressive Russian assets in place in the States.
PP would destroy our country and collapse in front of Musk’s money, prostate for his own profit.