Prime Minister Mark Carney a timely gift to Canada at crucial moment in history

by Dr. Rey D. Pagtakhan

The 37-day federal election campaign of 2025 began on Sunday, March 23, and will end on Monday, April 28. It merits the utmost attention, engagement, and participation of the Canadian electorate. Why?

Existential threats

Canada faces two existential threats from our powerful southern neighbour, our biggest trading partner, longest standing military ally since World War II, and reliable partner in championing abroad human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. That is, until now. U.S. President Donald Trump, since shortly after his oath of office in January has upended our nation-to-nation relationship by imposing, unjustifiably, prohibitive tariffs on American imports from Canada and repeatedly stating, disrespectfully, his plan to take over our country.

It is increasingly apparent that Trump’s intent is to so weaken the Canadian economy and harm Canadian families, workers and businesses and thereby leave Canada no option but to accept becoming the 51st American state. Mr. Trump’s unflattering wishful thinking of Canadian annexation is so repugnant to Canada’s national conscience that then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States.” Indeed, Canadians feel betrayed by Trump America. Hence, President Trump’s twin gratuitous onslaughts loom large in this federal election.

From “transition” to “caretaker” government

Mark Carney became Canada’s 24th prime minster when he was sworn in on March 14 by Governor General Mary Simon. With his new transition cabinet, as he called it, they became the transition government; yet he does not hold any seat in the house.

When he visited the governor general again on March 23rd with a request to dissolve parliament, and the election writ for Canada’s 45th general election his “transition government” has since transformed into a “caretaker government,” that is, it only does necessary routine and urgent government business but makes no new major or potentially controversial decisions throughout the duration of the election campaign.

Critical questions

Public office is a position of trust. Hence, the two crucial interrelated questions below:

1. Who of the political leaders can Canadians trust to:

• stand up to Trump America;
• fight for Canada and its sovereignty;
• protect their well-being and;
• build the strongest economy among G7 nations to help ensure our economy can support Canada’s social programs today and in the future?

2. Who of the political leaders has the relevant talent, broad experience in national and international financial crisis management, record of achievements and success in public service and in the private sector, and action-oriented, value-laden leadership attributes, including speaking in a learned and dignified way, that Canadians can place their trust during these tumultuous times?

Contrasting the forerunners

I visited the websites to read the career records of the frontrunners. As gathered from his website and news reports about him, Mark Carney:

• was Governor of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis and guided Canada through one of the most turbulent economic periods in modern history, protecting jobs and helping ensure that Canada came out stronger;
• was recruited to lead the Bank of England, stewarding the United Kingdom’s economy and the economic and political crises that followed;
• announced in a press conference following his meeting with his transition cabinet on the day after being sworn in that he had actually axed the carbon tax;
• had spoken to the steel workers in Hamilton to assure them of government support in light of the Trump’s tariff war on steel and aluminum;
• met with President Emmanuel Macron of France and King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the U.K. to bolster trades with reliable partners and began discussions on security and defence industry strategy;
• visited the Arctic and announced initiatives to assert Canadian sovereignty;
• cut the lowest income tax bracket by one percentage point, benefitting a two-income family by up to $825 a year;
• announced no GST on purchase of first home under one million;
• cancelled the capital gains tax; and
• convened the First Ministers Meeting, which focused on strengthening the Canadian economy and announced their optimism that there would be a reduction of domestic barriers to goods and services and implementation of a “one project, one review” approach to getting projects built by recognizing provincial and territorial environmental assessment processes come July 1 this year.

In view of the above information, I consider Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney is the embodiment of a national leader with competence and compassion who can stand up to President Trump, fight for Canada at this crucial moment in history. He embodies integrity, decency and strength with humility. He believes in the strength of Canada as a force for good not only for Canadians but also for others in the world. He speaks in a learned and dignified way. He has solid credentials, the habit of hard work and being action-oriented, pragmatism and positive outlook, and the value-laden leadership qualities that cares about people.

With proven competence and compassion, we can all confidently trust Mark Carney will continue to make the best prime minister to govern Canadam most particularly at this fraught chapter in the life of our nation.

He is simply trustworthy. Indeed, Mark Carney is a timely gift to Canada.

Dr. Rey Pagtakhan, is a retired pediatric chest physician, professor and former parliamentary secretary to the prime minister and cabinet minister in Jean Chretien and Paul Martin Liberal governments, including Secretary of State for Asia Pacific and Minister of Western Economic Diversification. He has lectured widely and published in medicine and on community affairs.