Mark Carney says Canada will "never" become part of the US in his first speech as the country's prime minister
The new PM, who is facing a stand off with Donald Trump over an escalating trade war, says he "expects respect" from America and calls US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's latest comments on a 51st state "crazy"
Carney says he will visit France and the UK on his first overseas trip in the job, adding that he currently has "no plans" to meet Trump but "looks forward" to speaking to him
Asked about when a general election can be expected in Canada, the PM declines to say when it will be called, joking that Canadians can expect to vote before November. The election must be held before October
Speaking after the speech, opposition leader Pierre Poilievre says the Liberals don't deserve another term and Carney's new cabinet is made up of the same people who worked under Justin Trudeau
Mark Carney's first hours as Canada's new prime minister
Back to the election Canada has to hold before November and Carney is asked where in the country will he choose to run.
He is the first prime minister to never serve as a member of Parliament, and must run for a seat once the election is called.
"Today is not the day to announce where I will run," Carney says.
Canada's new prime minister: 'We will never' be part of the US
Carney is now asked if he will be seeking reassurances in Europe that Canada will never become the "51st state" of the US, as President Trump has claimed recently.
"We will never, in any shape or form, be part of the US," he tells the crowd, echoing similar remarks he has made previously.
Carney says a ceremony like the swearing in today, and the group of ministers behind him, are nothing like America's system of government.
"We are very fundamentally a different country," Carney says, adding that the country "expects respect" from America and Trump.
Carney is now asked about when Canadians can expect to go to an election.
He responds by joking they can expect to vote “before November”. The federal election must be held before October.
The news today, he adds, is the new Cabinet that stands behind him.
"There will be other news in the coming days with respect to ensuring that we have a stronger mandate,” he tells reporters.
Staying on a US theme and Carney is asked about Secretary of State Marco Rubio's comments this morning saying that "economically speaking Canada would be better as the 51st state of the United States."
Rubio said this during a G7 foreign ministers' meeting that is being held in Quebec.
"It's crazy," Prime Minister Carney says in response. "That's all you can say."
'I'll tell you how that came about...' Rubio and Carney on Canada 51st state comments
Canada’s new prime minister is now taking questions from reporters. He is asked first if he has plans to go meet with President Donald Trump in the US.
Carney replies saying he has plans to go to France and the UK to meet with leaders there, and adds that reinforcing security and diversifying trade partners is important.
Right now, he says, he has no plans to meet with Trump, but will do so "at the appropriate moment".
Carney now says that protecting Canadian workers and their families "in the face of unjustified foreign trade actions" is one of two priorities his new government will focus on.
It's an apparent reference to US tariffs recently imposed by President Trump.
He then declares that "negativity wont win a trade war," or bring down the price of groceries, adding that the Canadian government is united and strong.
He says they will get to work immediately with a cabinet meeting to be held soon after this news conference.
Carney then moves on to take questions from the media.
Carney is talking about how the new government will approach its leadership.
He says new ministers have new ideas and are ready to respond to new threats and new opportunities.
Some of the economic goals, Carney says, are to grow more higher paying jobs and improve affordability.
The new smaller team of ministers, Carney says, is "made to meet the moment we are in".
Image source, PoolCarney says the swearing in ceremony is a reflection of Canada as a country that is "built on the bedrock of three peoples: Indigenous, French and British."
"On these foundations, Canadians have built a dynamic nation that celebrates its diversity, that cares for the vulnerable in society and that always strives for a better tomorrow," he says.
He adds that his new cabinet is fully confident in its responsibility to strengthen the foundation of Canada in the midst of the crisis it faces, and to build a country that is "even better."
We're now hearing from new Prime Minister Mark Carney outside Rideau Hall where he and his cabinet were sworn in a short while ago.
It's worth remembering it's been a meteoric rise for the former central banker, who has never before held elected office and who only announced his candidacy for Liberal leader two months ago.
He's beginning by reflecting on the great honour of serving as prime minister.
Mark Carney will now address Canadians for the first time as their PM outside Rideau Hall in Ottawa, the building where he was sworn in a short while ago.
You can follow along with us by pressing Watch live at the top of the page.
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from the White House
Image source, Bernd Debusmann Jr/BBC NewsWe've just heard from Senator John Neely Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana who is at the White House for a bill signing by President Trump.
Kennedy briefly remarked on Canada and US tariffs, telling reporters that "nobody knows if tariffs will lead to inflation" in the US.
He said Mark Carney, the newly sworn-in Canadian Prime Minister, has accused Trump of "interfering with free trade".
Kennedy then said Carney should reduce tariffs against the US to "zero, none".
Kennedy said that he believes Trump has a "valid point" that tariffs are "inconsistent".
"America has about eight times more people than Canada. Our economy is 10 times bigger than the Canadian economy, yet we're running a $60bn trade deficit with Canada," he said.
"What that tells me is that Canada's tariffs are higher than our tariffs. All I think the President is asking is that they be even."
Isabella Bull
BBC World Service
Image source, James SomaeckWe’ve been getting reaction to Mark Carney’s new cabinet from voters across the political spectrum.
James Somaeck is a Liberal supporter from Quebec.
He told the BBC World Service’s OS programme that while an unconventional choice, he thinks Carney is a “generational talent”.
“He’s the kind of leader that we need with real world experience. I’m sure he’s up for the job,” he says.
Image source, Brent ColmanBrent Colman from Alberta is a self-described disaffected Liberal.
He says he felt let down by the Trudeau government but disagrees that Mark Carney is in any way unconventional.
“The well-put-together technocrat is kind of the go-to. The big difference with Mark Carney is that he’s publicly likeable,” he says.
Image source, Kristin RaworthOn the other side of the divide is Conservative supporter Albertan Kristin Raworth.
She believes Mark Carney is a Conservative in Liberals' clothing – and isn’t worried about his electoral chances.
Kristin tells us: “it’ll be interesting to see how he differentiates himself from Conservatives, when up until this point most of what he’s saying is just repeating their policies.”
Image source, Getty ImagesCanada's Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has criticised Mark Carney's new cabinet in a post on X, external, tying him to the deeply unpopular former PM Justin Trudeau.
He writes that "87% of Carney’s ministers were Trudeau's ministers."
"And 100% of Carney’s ministers were in Trudeau’s caucus—helping hike carbon taxes and double the debt, housing costs and food bank lineups," he adds.
"A Liberal is a Liberal is a Liberal.
Linking Carney to Trudeau is a key line of attack from the Conservative Party, which has been leading in national polls since mid-2023.
Carney will soon have to respond to these criticisms as he takes on Poilievre in the upcoming general election.
After a closing prayer, the room is now singing the national anthem of Canada.
We expect to hear from the country’s new prime minister Mark Carney soon.
Remember, you can see what he has to say by pressing Watch live at the top of the page.
Image source, ReutersHere’s a look at some of the key appointments in Mark Carney’s new cabinet.
A few names, including Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, retain their positions from Justin Trudeau’s cabinet.
The swearing in ceremony has now finished, but don't go anywhere as we still have plenty more to bring you from Ottawa.
All ministers in Mark Carney's new cabinet have now been sworn in.
There's just one exception - his foreign minister Mélanie Joly, who is currently in Quebec for the G7 summit.
She is expected to be sworn in later.
Image source, PoolWe're now seeing the swearing in of first-time ministers. These MPs have received a big promotion under Carney and represent new faces in the Canadian government.
Arielle Kayabaga, whose family fled Burundi to Canada when she was a child, is first as the new minister of democratic institutions, and is received with thunderous applause.
She's followed by Kody Blois, minister of agriculture.
The swearing in ceremony is still under way, with Rachel Bendayan being the latest to be sworn in as minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship.
After this stage finishes, we are expecting to hear from Mark Carney in what would be his first news conference as Canada's new prime minister.
He is expected to deliver a speech with the new members of his cabinet behind him.
Image source, ReutersThough many ministers are being sworn in right now, at least one will have a separate signing later.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly will be sworn in later today, as she is at a G7 meeting in Quebec.
She was already serving as foreign affairs minister.
It's a warm mood inside the hall where Mark Carney and his cabinet are being sworn in.
Onlookers, including special guests, are positively beaming from their chairs as they watch each new minister step up to read their oath.
Carney himself appears nervously excited following his swearing in. He had a minor stumble as he posed for photographs with Canada's governor-general Mary Simon.
Applause greets each new minister as they return to their seats.