CANADA: According to Canadian media, Mark Carney’s Liberal Party has won the country’s general elections. However, it is not clear whether the party will get the 172 seats required for a majority or will have to take support from another party. In his speech, Mark Carney told his supporters, “Our old relationship with America is now over. We have overcome the shock of American betrayal, we have to take care of each other.” He said, “President Trump is trying to break us so that America can establish its authority over us – this will never happen.”
Earlier this year, after Justin Trudeau, who was Canada’s Prime Minister for nine years, left the post, Mark Carney was elected the leader of the Liberal Party and became the Prime Minister. During Justin Trudeau’s tenure, there was a lot of tension in the relations between India and Canada and both the countries had reduced their diplomatic relations considerably.
Donald Trump’s policies have also played a role in the victory of the Liberal Party. According to him, Trump repeatedly provoked Canada and asked it to become the 51st state of America, which united the Canadian voters. The Liberal Party in Canadian politics was under a lot of pressure for the past few months. The party which was considered almost finished till a few months ago, can now come to power for the fourth time. Ever since Carney has taken charge of Canada, he has indicated a change in relations with India as compared to his predecessor Prime Minister.
In early January this year, Justin Trudeau resigned from the post of Prime Minister just before the elections due to increasing pressure from his own party. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, a former banker, on Monday described the relationship between India and Canada as ‘very important’ and indicated that if he becomes Prime Minister again, he will try to improve the relations between the two countries.
During an election rally on Saturday before the end of the election campaign, a Canadian channel Y Media had asked him what he would do to improve India-Canada relations after coming to power.? In response to the question, Carney said, “It is clear that there is tension in the relationship but it is not because of us. The way forward is to rebuild it with mutual respect.” Mark Carney said that opportunities have also been created from the trade war, “I think opportunities will be created because the negative events that have happened, especially the trade war, this is one of those opportunities on which I will work if I become the Prime Minister.” He said, “The relationship between India and Canada is very important at many levels. On personal relations, economic and strategic front as well. There are many Canadians who have very personal relations with India. I say from my experience that the way the world economy is shaken and taking a new shape at this time, countries like India and Canada can play a very big role.” Carney has emphasized on improving trade and other relations with India, this statement came just before the voting and it is also an important indication of what stance Carney’s government is going to take in relations with India. During a public meeting in March itself, he had said that ‘Canada needs new friends and allies.’ In this regard, he had specifically mentioned India.
But this is not the first time that Carney has made such a statement. Last March, when he was in the race to become the leader of the Liberal Party, he had talked about ‘improving trade relations with India’. Carney said, “Canada has an opportunity to diversify its trade relations with like-minded friendly countries. We have opportunities to rebuild relations with India. There should be a shared sense of values around that commercial relationship and if I am the Prime Minister, I will eagerly wait for this opportunity.” Mark Carney had said that if he becomes the Prime Minister, he will restore trade relations with India. He also talked about diversifying Canada’s trade relations with like-minded countries.
Mark Carney believes in building a dialogue with the Indian community living in Canada. On April 14 this month, Carney visited the Ottawa Sikh Society’s Gurudwara and wished Baisakhi and shared its pictures on his ex account. Anita Anand, the Liberal Party candidate from Oakville East, tweeted that Carney had visited the Baps Swaminarayan Temple in Toronto. On April 6 this month, he visited a Hindu temple in Toronto and wished people on Ram Navami. It is clear that Mark Carney is an advocate of bringing relations with India back on track.
Who is McCarney?
He was born in Fort Smith, the far northern city of the Northwest Territories. Mark Carney has been a former governor of the Bank of England and was the first non-British person to hold a top banking role in the more than 300-year history of this central bank. He previously led his country as governor of the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis. Carney holds both Irish and Canadian citizenship. He received British citizenship in 2018, but recently said he intends to give up his British and Irish citizenship as he feels the prime minister should only have Canadian citizenship.
