This is edition 2025/41 of the Ten@10 newsletter.
Welcome back. It's 2025 and 20 years since I started writing about politics and anything else that took my fancy. Thank to my VIP members for making this site what it is today. In July we will be having a 20th birthday celebration. Stay tuned for more announcements.
This is the Ten@10, where I collate and summarise ten news items you generally won't see in the mainstream media.
Enjoy!
1. Mark Carney: Canada's Unelected PM
Philip Crump
- 🇨🇦 Mark Carney is set to become Canada’s Prime Minister, despite not being a current Member of Parliament.
- 🗳️ He secured the Liberal Party leadership with 85.9% of the vote, following Trudeau’s resignation.
- 🏛️ Carney’s appointment is based on Canada’s Westminster-derived system, which doesn’t require the PM to be an elected MP.
- 📜 The 1867 Constitution Act allowed Carney's rise, as he doesn’t need to be elected to Parliament to lead.
- 🇬🇧 Carney’s career includes significant roles at Goldman Sachs, the Bank of Canada, and the Bank of England.
- 🔄 New Zealand’s Constitution Act 1986, however, mandates that PMs must be elected MPs, highlighting a contrast in electoral accountability.
- 🏛️ Carney has no immediate path to a seat in Parliament and may call an election soon.
- 💬 Carney's political leanings were evident during Brexit, where he was accused of politicizing his role at the Bank of England.
- 🤝 Similar to Mario Draghi’s unelected tenure as Italy’s PM, Carney’s crisis management credentials are central to his appeal.
- 🚫 Critics question whether Carney, a technocrat with limited charisma, can connect with everyday voters.
- ⚖️ Carney’s rise points to a tension between elite expertise and democratic accountability in Canada.
- 🗳️ Canada’s system allows unelected leaders like Carney to take power, but a future election is expected for voter input.
- ⚔️ Carney is preparing for potential trade conflict with the US, signaling a tense political situation ahead.
- 🇺🇸 Trump has vowed Canada will "pay a financial price" for its actions, highlighting the high stakes in international relations.
- 🧳 Trudeau warns of a "nation-defining moment," underscoring the importance of democracy and freedom.
