December 22, 2025
RED FM News Desk
A year ago, many Canadians might not have recognized Mark Carney on the street. Today, he is one of the country’s most prominent political figures and has been named The Canadian Press Newsmaker of the Year for 2025.
Carney was the clear choice in an annual survey of newsroom editors and news leaders from across the country, receiving 72 of 95 votes.
“A year ago, we knew (Conservative Leader Pierre) Poilievre was the next prime minister and the trade war was theoretical,” said Bronwyn Beairsto, editor of the Coast Reporter in Sechelt, B.C. “Mark Carney’s ascension encapsulates the swings we’ve seen across the political landscape this year.”
Former prime minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement in January that he would step down set the stage for Carney’s rapid rise to the top of Canadian politics and, ultimately, the Prime Minister’s Office.
Since his victory in the Liberal leadership race, Carney has been at the centre of nearly every major national story. His firm “elbows up” response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war and repeated threats of annexation became the defining message of a federal election campaign that had initially appeared poised to focus on affordability and the Liberal government’s record.
“Mark Carney did what Pierre Poilievre failed to recognize — seize an opportunity to capitalize on Donald Trump’s aggressive stance toward Canada,” said Dawn Walton, managing editor of CTV News Calgary.
Carney’s swift transformation from a relatively low-profile public figure to a dominant presence in Canadian politics made him an unmistakable choice for Newsmaker of the Year.
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