Quick Sketch: Meet Liberal Leadership Candidate Mark Carney
Mark Carney, a prominent figure in finance, is running for Liberal leadership, aiming to succeed Justin Trudeau
Mark Carney, Liberal Party, Edmonton, Canada, Climate Change
OTTAWA: So, Mark Carney is finally throwing his hat in the ring for the Liberal leadership. He’s been a familiar face in Liberal circles for years, and folks have been nudging him to run for a decade now.
He kicked off his campaign in Edmonton on January 16, and it’s about time! Carney’s got quite the background. Born in Fort Smith, N.W.T., in 1965, he grew up in Alberta and even delivered papers for the Edmonton Journal as a kid.
He’s got some serious academic chops too, with degrees from Harvard and Oxford. Fun fact: he was a backup goalie for Harvard’s hockey team! After spending 13 years at Goldman Sachs, he climbed the ranks in Canada’s finance world, eventually becoming the governor of the Bank of Canada in 2008.
People have been speculating about him stepping into politics since the Liberals struggled in 2011. He was even named governor of the Bank of England in 2013, a role he held until 2020. Carney’s a big advocate for carbon pricing to tackle climate change, which is pretty relevant these days.
He’s also been involved with Canada 2020, a progressive think tank, and served as the UN’s Special Envoy on Climate Change. Recently, he stepped down from his roles at Brookfield Asset Management and Stripe to avoid any conflicts of interest while running for office.
On the personal side, he’s married to Diana Fox Carney, who works in climate and finance policy. They’ve got four daughters, and he’s even the godfather to Chrystia Freeland’s son. Carney’s got a unique perspective on politics, saying, “I know I’m not the usual suspect when it comes to politics, but this is no time for politics as usual.”
This news was first reported by The Canadian Press on January 16, 2025.