Mark Carney finds himself in a tough spot just a week after winning Canada's general election, preparing for a major meeting with Donald Trump.
The former banker will likely want to use his White House visit to express his gratitude to the US president, who widely credited Trump's threats to Canada as a factor in his election success.
However, in his speeches during the campaign and after the vote, Carney made it clear that he was not up for the joke about his country becoming the 51st state.
Today's meeting will also be a test of his diplomatic skills: Although he leads the party that has governed the world's second-largest country since 2015, he is a political novice.
In fact, he had never held elected office before becoming Canada's 24th prime minister in March.
While he may be a bit inexperienced in politics, the 60-year-old has spent a considerable amount of time in the public eye. Here's everything you need to know.
What will Mark Carney talk about with Trump?
Mark Carney and Donald Trump have many important topics to discuss, but two issues stand out from the rest.
The first is trade, especially tariffs.
Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all U.S. imports from Canada, with some exceptions, similar to what was done with Mexico. Canada responded with its own tariffs on U.S. imports.
While the trade war has not reached the same scale as the one between the US and China, there is interest in a deal that could lower prices in both countries.
A second major topic of discussion could be Trump's repeated threats to annex Canada and turn it into the “51st state.”
In a recent interview, the president said he had no intention of using military force to seize his neighbor to the north, a rather unusual clarification for him to make.
Carney has strongly opposed these plans and may use the White House meeting to reaffirm his country's sovereignty.
Who is Mark Carney's wife?
Mark Carney met his English wife Diana Fox Carney when both were members of the Oxford University Hockey Club.
According to the Times, in 1965 Diana Fox was living in Cheltenham and attending boarding school at Marlborough College, which Catherine, Princess of Wales, later attended.
The couple married in 1994 and lived for a time in Primrose Hill, north London, before moving between New York and Toronto, and eventually settling in Ottawa.
Diana is also an economist and has written several books.
Does Mark Carney have children?
They have four daughters: Cleo, Tess, Amelia and Sasha.
Cleo Carney, a Harvard University student, led her father on stage for his first speech as Liberal Party leader after his election.
Sourse: metro.co.uk
