Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled a new cabinet that he said would help define a new relationship with the United States. Two weeks after his Liberal Party won a general election, Carney’s cabinet was sworn in at a ceremony in Ottawa on Tuesday. “Canadians elected this new government with a strong mandate to define a new economic and security relationship with the United States,” said a statement from Carney’s office. Carney cut the number of ministers to 29 from the 39 under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau— a designation that hasn’t been used in years—but kept some key players in their positions, such as Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and Dominic LeBlanc, who is in charge of US trade. His cabinet includes Trudeau allies, but also brings in new faces. Evan Solomon, a prominent former journalist entering parliament for the first time, has been named minister for artificial intelligence, a new post pointing towards Carney’s pledge to transform Canada’s economy.
Carney’s administration is pursuing an economic strategy that includes reducing dependence on the US by diversifying trade partnerships. He has also promised to implement billions in new investments and tax cuts. Relations between Washington and Ottawa have been strained by President Donald Trump’s tariffs and threats of annexation. He has imposed 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods, though certain imports covered under the US-Mexico-Canada agreement (USMCA) signed in 2020 are exempt. Trump had also made controversial remarks that it would be a “wonderful marriage” if Canada agreed to his repeated calls to become the 51st US state. During his visit to Washington on May 6, Carney made it clear that his country is “not for sale” and “won’t be for sale, ever.”
