EDMONTON, Alberta (Reuters) – Former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney announced on Thursday that he is running to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as leader of the ruling Liberal Party, saying he wants to focus on the ailing economy.
Carney, 59, launched his bid at an event in the western city of Edmonton, presenting himself as an outsider who was not part of Trudeau’s unpopular government.
Trudeau announced his resignation this month amid discontent among lawmakers worried about the party’s poor performance ahead of this year’s election.
Trudeau, who took office in November 2015, will remain in office until his replacement is named on March 9.
Carney’s main challenger appears to be former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, whose resignation last month over policy differences led to Trudeau’s decision to resign.
The new prime minister will probably not be in office for long. The minority government could be ousted in parliament as early as the end of March, triggering an election that polls show the official opposition will win for the conservatives.
Carney, who was also governor of the Bank of England, ran as an outsider with significant financial experience.
“I will be fully focused on getting our economy back on track,” he said during his opening remarks.
“I’ve helped manage multiple crises and helped save two economies. I know how business works and I know how to make it work for you.”
Still, he has close ties to Trudeau, who appointed him chairman of a task force on economic growth last September.
Conservatives say there is little difference between Carney and Trudeau.
“As a long-time Liberal insider, an adviser at least as early as 2020 … Carney is as far from an outsider as you can get,” the Conservatives said in a statement Thursday.
Carney worked for Goldman Sachs before joining Canada’s finance ministry in 2004. He was appointed governor of the Bank of Canada in 2007 and quickly had to deal with the fallout from the 2008 global crisis.
In 2013, he took over as governor of the Bank of England, becoming the first person to head two major central banks.
After leaving the bank in 2020, he was appointed as the United Nations Special Envoy for Climate Action and Finance. He also served as a senior executive at Brookfield Asset Management (TSX: ) and on the board of companies including bond investor PIMCO and fintech giant Stripe.
Carney said he had resigned as UN special envoy and left all commercial positions before launching his bid for the Liberal Party leadership.
“I’ve resigned from all my roles… I’ve cut all my ties. I’m all for it,” he said.
