Gerald Butts and David Lametti hold no official roles in the Liberal government, but Prime Minister Mark Carney informally seeks their advice on key political matters, say Liberal sources.
The federal Liberals owe their surprising comeback to Mark Carney who officially entered in the political arena just five months ago. A former central banker who led both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England, Carney emerged as a compelling figure during the Liberal leadership campaign, particularly amid rising tensions from the trade war with the United States. Many Canadians believed Carney’s financial background uniquely positioned him to handle the sensitive and complex trade issues and U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to annex Canada. Given that Canada and the U.S. exchange $1-trillion in goods and services every year, and more than a million jobs depend on this relationship, the stakes are high.
