After winning the Liberal Party's leadership race by a landslide, Mark Carney firmly asserted Canada’s sovereignty, promising that Ottawa would never become "part of America in any way."

The 59-year-old, who previously served as the head of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, entered politics as a newcomer and secured the leadership with an overwhelming 86% vote, defeating former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and replacing Justin Trudeau.

Responding to former U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated suggestions that Canada should become the 51st state, Carney, 59, firmly rejected the idea, stating, "America is not Canada. Canada will never ever be part of the US in any way, shape, or form."

A strong critic of Trump, Carney reinforced his position during his victory speech, cautioning that U.S. interests in Canada’s resources, water, and land posed a serious threat. "If they succeeded, they would destroy our way of life," he warned. Addressing a cheering crowd in Ottawa after the general election results were announced, Carney declared, “The Americans want our resources, our water, our land, our country.”

His statement came amid ongoing trade tensions between Ottawa and Washington. In December, then-US President-elect Donald Trump escalated tensions by referring to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the "Governor" of the "Great State of Canada" while threatening to set tariffs on Canadian goods.

On February 3, shortly after assuming office as U.S. President, Trump proposed that Canada could become the 51st U.S. state to bypass tariffs and secure military protection. Reports suggest that Canadian officials took his comments seriously. Meanwhile, Mark Carney affirmed that Canada would continue its countermeasures against Trump’s tariff threats until the U.S. shows a genuine responsibility to free and fair trade.

"We cannot and will not let him succeed," Carney claimed. "We are Canada strong".

Justin Trudeau's decision to step down as Canada's prime minister in January, after a nearly decade-long tenure in office, following a sharp decline in approval ratings, led the Liberal Party to hold a rapid leadership contest. Mark Carney’s victory marked a significant political shift, as he became Canada’s first Prime Minister without prior elected experience. He has highlighted his leadership of two G7 central banks, Canada and the UK, as evidence that he is well-prepared to navigate the challenges of a possible second Trump presidency.