
The new Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, has appointed Francois-Phillipe Champagne as the new Minister of Finance of the country, according to sources close to the government. Francois-Phillipe Champagne has held various positions in the cabinet of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, including Foreign Affairs, Trade, and, most recently, Minister of Industry. In this last position, he was responsible for foreign investment files and the use of government subsidies to attract automobile manufacturers.
This decision allows Carney to move the current Minister of Finance, Dominic LeBlanc, to the Ministry of Trade, where he will focus on relations with the United States and negotiations over tariffs imposed by the administration of President Donald Trump, CBC reported. No comments have been received from LeBlanc's spokesperson on this matter. Carney was sworn in as Prime Minister in Ottawa on Friday, March 14, along with other members of his new cabinet.
In a surprising turn, Chrystia Freeland was appointed Minister of Transport and Internal Trade. Francois-Phillipe Champagne, a bilingual politician and representative from Quebec, supported Carney during the leadership contest of the Liberal Party. Champagne and LeBlanc met in Washington with White House officials, including Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.
The country is in the midst of a difficult situation in its relations with the United States due to the trade war and tensions caused by the imposed tariffs. Canada has imposed tariffs worth approximately 60 billion Canadian dollars on American products in response to Trump’s measures on steel, aluminum, and other products. Carney has expressed his goal of building the strongest economy among the G7 and boosting the government's retaliation policies.
Melanie Joly will continue in her role as Minister of Foreign Affairs and has been dedicated to strengthening Canada's international relations. Joly has emphasized the need to pressure the U.S. government to resolve trade conflicts while seeking alternatives to resolve the situation diplomatically.