When Mark Carney entered the European Parliament today, he was received like a rock star. Members of Parliament crowded the front rows of the chamber to shake his hand and take a selfie with him. The enthusiasm was justified: the Prime Minister of Canada is the man of the moment. He has become the beacon for those seeking an alternative to the cruel and ruleless world promoted by Donald Trump.
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His rise, however, has been unexpected. Born in the small town of Fort Smith in 1965, into a middle-class family – his parents were teachers – Carney entered politics almost by accident, after a life dedicated to economics.
His career began at the private investment bank Goldman Sachs, where he got firsthand experience of the inner workings of international finance. Then came the leap to the public sector, with his hiring by the Bank of Canada, where he would become governor. His tenure at the helm of the institution (2008-2012) coincided with the great financial crisis, and Carney demonstrated great skill in navigating the worst effects of the storm.
That good work opened the doors of the Bank of England. He was its governor between 2013 and 2020. No foreigner had held that position until then – and no one had ever led two central banks of different G-7 countries before.
During his time in London, he had to deal with the Scottish independence referendum, Brexit, and the start of the pandemic. It can be said that he came through it all successfully: he knew how to convey calm to the markets when needed.
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After his English adventure ended, he was appointed UN Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance, but Carney already had his sights set on Canada: his name was mentioned as a possible Minister of Economy in Justin Trudeau’s government. But Trudeau’s resignation in early 2025 blew the plan apart.
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The Canadian Liberal Party needed a new leader, and attention turned to Carney, who stepped forward despite everything being against him: the Liberals were sinking in the polls, and the technocratic profile of the former banker did not seem the best appeal for voters. But the geopolitical context made possible what seemed impossible.
Donald Trump’s return to the White House and his threats to annex Canada became the political fuel for Carney, who presented himself as the best option to stand up to Washington. His message resonated, and thus he was able to defeat the Conservatives in the federal elections held in April 2025.
Since then, the Liberal leader has remained true to his promise to confront Trump. His roadmap is clear: reduce Canada’s dependence on the U.S. through new alliances with Europe and Asia. And the world took good note of it last January, when Carney delivered a speech at the Davos Forum destined to go down in history. There, before a large representation of the world’s political and business elites, the Canadian leader declared “the breakup of the world order” and the start of a new era in which “geopolitics among the great powers is subject to no limits.” “Middle powers must act together, because if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” he summarized.
The speech caused a huge stir and established Carney as a major figure of anti-Trumpism. The man many accused of being cold, boring, and lacking charisma now exudes a special aura. This was evident today in Strasbourg.
