9 things you didn't know about Mark Carney, Canada's new prime minister
From marathons to dance moves, Canada's new PM is full of surprises.
Here are nine surprising facts about Canada's new prime minister.
Canada just picked a new leader — and while Mark Carney has certainly risen to national fame in the last few whirlwind months, as a fresh face on Parliament Hill, much of the country is still just getting to know him.
Following the results of the 2025 federal election, Mark Carney is officially set to return as prime minister of Canada. The Liberal Party leader, who helped guide Canada through the 2008 financial crisis as the country's top banker, is now stepping into the country's top political role.
For info about election results, Mark Carney's dramatic victory speech, Jagmeet Singh's resignation as party leader and more, check out Narcity's election hub.
With Canadians across the country still buzzing about who won the election and waiting for the full Canadian election results, many are now turning their attention to what kind of leader Carney will be.
The 60-year-old's resume is packed with global experience, elite education and even some serious athletic achievements.
Here are nine surprising facts about Canada's new prime minister that you probably didn't know.
He was born in the Northwest Territories
Mark Carney was born on March 16, 1965, in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. He is the first prime minister ever to hail from the Northwest Territories (or any of the three territories, for that matter).
His parents were both teachers, and when Carney was six years old, the family moved to Edmonton, Alberta. Growing up in Edmonton, he played hockey and attended St. Francis Xavier High School.
He studied at Harvard AND Oxford
Carney didn't just attend one globally prestigious university — he crushed it at two.
He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard University in 1987.
Then he headed across the pond to the University of Oxford, earning both a master's degree and a doctorate in economics. According to The Globe and Mail, Carney completed his Oxford doctorate in just two years — about half the usual time.
He was governor of the Bank of Canada
Before politics, Carney was a big name in finance. He was appointed governor of the Bank of Canada in 2008, right as the global financial crisis hit.
Carney's leadership through one of the most turbulent economic periods in modern history earned him global recognition — he was included in Financial Times' "Fifty who will frame a way forward" in 2009, named one of the TIME 100 most influential people in 2010, and chosen as the Reader's Digest Editor's Choice for Most Trusted Canadian in 2011.
His signature even appeared on Canadian banknotes issued during his time at the central bank.
...and the Bank of England
Not many Canadians can say they led two major central banks — but Carney can.
In 2013, he became governor of the Bank of England, making history as the first non-Brit to ever hold the role.
He helped steer the U.K.'s economy through the turbulence of Brexit and served until 2020. Talk about having experience in high-pressure situations.
He used to have triple citizenship — but renounced them for the love of Canada
Until recently, Carney held Canadian, British and Irish citizenships. But when he stepped into politics, he decided to make a big change.
A campaign spokesperson told the CBC earlier in April that Carney had officially renounced his British and Irish citizenships before being sworn in as prime minister.
His reason? He wanted to be 100% Canadian — both legally and symbolically — before stepping into office.
He has played pro hockey and run marathons
Mark Carney isn't just about economics — he's seriously sporty too. In his university days, he was a backup goalie for Harvard's varsity hockey team and later served as co-captain of the Oxford University Blues.
He also runs marathons and has completed multiple sub-four-hour races, including a 3:31 finish at the 2015 London Marathon. Not bad for a 50-year-old guy juggling a global career.
He's a huge music fan
Carney's passion for music runs almost as deep as his love for hockey — and he's especially proud of Canada's homegrown talent.
In an April 10 interview with Canadian media personality Nardwuar, Carney showed off an impressive knowledge of music history, giving a special shoutout to Canadian musicians.
Carney told Nardwuar about CDs he used to burn for his daughters' birthdays that were "heavy on early Taylor Swift."
He's also a huge fan of Toronto rap-rock band Down with Webster — their 2009 song "Time to Win" became his campaign anthem, and Carney was spotted dancing all-out to it at his election night party. He told Nardwuar he discovered the band by accident at a show in Ottawa and was hooked from the first tuba sounds.
He's been married over 30 years and has 4 daughters
While studying at Oxford, Carney met British economist Diana Fox, who was also studying economics at Oxford and was a member of the school's women's hockey team. The two quickly became a team off the ice and in life.
They married in 1994, and today they have four daughters: Cleo, Tess, Amelia and Sasha.
He's the godfather of Chrystia Freeland's son
Turns out, politics isn't the only thing tying Carney and Chrystia Freeland together. According to Freeland herself, speaking in July 2024, Carney is actually the godfather of her son.
Both leaders grew up in northern Alberta and have been friends for years, according to Freeland — long before the Liberal leadership race put them head to head.
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