Balancing act expected from next Canada PM

The incoming Canadian prime minister is expected to take a strong stance against US tariffs while seeking diplomatic compromises, according to experts.

In Mark Carney's first speech after winning the Liberal Party leadership contest, he called the United States a "country we can no longer trust" and had a message for US President Donald Trump.

"America is not Canada, and Canada never, ever will be part of America in any way, shape or form," Carney said.

Carney received 86 percent of the votes in the leadership election. The exact date that Carney will take office as Canada's prime minister remains uncertain. The timing of the transition will be determined by Carney in conjunction with current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Carney, 59, is expected to face Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, 45, in the next nationwide election, which is officially scheduled for Oct 20 but could be held earlier.

Carney said he'll keep Canada's counter-tariffs in place until all of Trump's tariffs are lifted.

John J. Kirton, professor of political science at the University of Toronto, said that approach has helped unify Canada's Liberal Party, positioning Carney as a leader with stronger national support than his predecessor, Trudeau.

Kirton said Carney's extensive economic background — a former governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England — makes him suited to navigate the challenges, though significant hurdles remain.

"The first thing he has to do is use his intimate contacts on Wall Street," Kirton told China Daily. "He needs to tell the great giants of Wall Street to inform Trump and his treasury secretary that these tariffs are really killing the financial heart of the US economy," he said. He said continued trade disputes could have severe consequences.

Surcharge suspended

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Tuesday that the province would suspend its 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports to three US states after Trump floated additional duties on Canadian aluminum, steel, electricity and vehicles.

In another move, Canada will announce C$29.8 billion ($20.7 billion) in retaliatory tariffs on Wednesday in response to US steel and aluminum tariffs, a Canadian official said.

Kirton said he believes negotiating with the US will be a delicate task. "The biggest challenge is that Trump's policies change day by day," he said.

Carney will also need to manage Canada's relationship with China. "We need a prosperous China — one that continues to import from the G7 and the broader global economy," Kirton said.

He also noted the importance of maintaining access to China's technology and raw materials.

"If we want to tackle the only genuinely existential threat — climate change — we need to be able to import low-cost renewable energy technology from China, such as solar panels and wind turbines," he said.

Ron Stagg, professor emeritus of history at Toronto Metropolitan University, sees Carney adopting a firm stance against US tariffs while balancing economic diplomacy.

"Carney has said that Canada will match all tariffs imposed on Canadian goods, which is very much what the vast majority of Canadians want now.

But, of course, many do not fully realize the consequences of such a policy," he told China Daily.

"Given what the Canadian people are expecting of him, he will be confrontational. But, based on his background, he will also be looking for ways to smooth out relations to reduce the tariff war," he said.

gaoyang@chinadailyusa.com