Mark Carney Will Become Canada’s New Prime Minister

Lesson made on March 9, 2025

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Reading Lesson:

Mark Carney is the new leader of Canada’s Liberal Party, replacing Justin Trudeau. Liberal Party members chose him in a vote, where he won by a huge margin, getting over 85% of the votes. Carney has never been a politician before, but he has led central banks in Canada and the UK, helping both countries through tough economic times. Now, he faces big challenges, including trade problems with the United States.

Canada’s relationship with the US has become tense. President Trump has threatened to raise taxes on Canadian goods, and Carney wants to fight back with trade penalties on the US. He also wants to improve Canada’s economy by focusing on clean energy and natural resources.

Even though Carney is the new Liberal leader, Justin Trudeau is still the prime minister for now. In Canada’s system, people don’t vote directly for the prime minister. Instead, they vote for local representatives, and the leader of the winning party becomes the prime minister.

Mark Carney was born in Canada’s Northwest Territories, raised in Edmonton, and studied at Harvard and Oxford. He worked as the Governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England at different times, helping Canada during the 2008 financial crisis and the UK during Brexit. Carney has promised to make life better for Canadians by lowering costs for families. However, he faces strong competition from Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre. With an election coming, Carney will need to prove that he is the right choice to lead Canada.

Comprehension Quiz:

1. Mark Carney won by a huge margin. What does this mean?

a) He won by a small difference in votes.
b) He won by a large difference in votes.
c) The election was very close.
d) He’s a very fast runner.

2. Canada’s relationship with the US has become tense. What does “tense” mean?

a) Friendly and calm.
b) Strong and supportive.
c) Difficult and stressful.
d) Unimportant and weak.

3. What might be the reason why Carney won the leadership vote?

a) He has experience in politics.
b) Many people think he can help Canada’s economy.
c) His father was the Prime Minister.
d) He has been prime minister before.

4. Why might Carney’s experience with central banks be useful as a political leader?

a) It shows he knows a lot about international travel.
b) It shows he’s great at making speeches.
c) Because he is a very rich man.
d) It means he understands how to manage the country’s money.

5. What is one possible reason Carney wants to focus on clean energy?

a) He believes it will help Canada’s economy grow.
b) He wants to stop using natural resources.
c) He believes coal is the energy of the future.
d) He thinks clean energy will give Canada more power to control the weather.

6. What challenge does Carney face in trade with the US?

a) The US wants to help Canada’s economy.
b) The US president has threatened to raise taxes on Canadian goods.
c) The US wants to sign a new trade deal with Canada.
d) The US is lowering taxes on Canadian goods.

7. Why might Carney want to use trade penalties against the US?

a) To improve the US economy.
b) To encourage the US to stop raising taxes on Canadian goods.
c) To make it easier for Canada to buy American products.
d) To stop trading with the US completely.

8. What can we guess about Carney’s leadership style based on his past experience?

a) He will not care about trade issues.
b) He will avoid making big decisions.
c) He doesn’t understand economics.
d) He will focus on the economy.

9. Why might some Canadians be unsure about Carney as a political leader?

a) He has never worked in Canada.
b) He does not care about the economy.
c) He has never been a politician before.
d) He was born in the UK.

10. What would happen if Carney does not win the next election?

a) Another party’s leader could become prime minister.
b) The US would choose Canada’s next leader.
c) Trudeau would become leader again.
d) Canada would not have a government.

Speaking and Writing Activities:

– Discuss these questions with a partner or a small group.

– Choose one topic and write a response to it. Show your writing to a classmate or teacher.

1. How are leaders chosen in the country you’re from?

2. If you were the Prime Minister of Canada, what would you do to help people?

3. What do you think makes a good leader? Can you think of a famous leader you admire?

More Reading Practice:

Federal Elections in Canada

In Canada, federal elections are held to choose members of the Canadian Parliament. The country is divided into areas called ridings or constituencies. Each riding has one representative, known as a Member of Parliament (MP). People in each riding vote for their favorite candidate, and the person who gets the most votes in that area becomes the MP for that riding.

Canada does not directly elect a prime minister. Instead, the leader of the political party that wins the most ridings usually becomes the prime minister. If a party gets more than half of the seats in Parliament, they form the government, and their leader becomes the prime minister. If no party gets more than half, there may be a minority government, and the prime minister must work with other parties to make decisions.

Elections in Canada are usually held every four years, but they can happen earlier if the government loses a vote in Parliament or if the prime minister calls for an election. The people vote in a secret ballot, which means no one knows who they voted for.

Justin Trudeau

Justin Trudeau became the leader of Canada’s Liberal Party in 2013 and was first elected as prime minister in 2015. As prime minister, he makes important decisions about the country, including laws, policies, and relations with other countries. Trudeau is known for focusing on issues like climate change, gender equality, and improving relationships with Indigenous people in Canada.

Before becoming prime minister, he worked as a teacher and an advocate for different causes. He is the son of Pierre Trudeau, a former prime minister of Canada, which makes him part of a famous political family. Many people in Canada support him, but he also faces criticism from some who disagree with his ideas or decisions.

Mark Carney and the 2008 financial crisis

Mark Carney played an important role during the 2008 financial crisis. At the time, he was the Governor of the Bank of Canada, which is the country’s central bank. The financial crisis was a time when many banks around the world faced serious problems, and some even failed. This caused a lot of uncertainty in the global economy, and many people lost their jobs, homes, and savings.

During the crisis, Carney worked to stabilize Canada’s economy. He took actions to ensure that banks in Canada could continue to lend money, and he helped prevent the crisis from being as severe in Canada as it was in other countries. Carney’s leadership and decisions were praised because they helped Canada avoid the worst effects of the financial crisis. Later, he also worked as the Governor of the Bank of England, where he helped guide the UK through similar economic challenges.

Mark Carney is known for his calm and smart approach to handling difficult economic situations.

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