'51st governor has some moves': Internet reacts to Mark Carney's 'elbows up' victory dance

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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney celebrated his election victory by breaking out his best dad dance moves in Ottawa Monday night.

But the Liberal Leader was roasted by netizens for an improvised “elbows up” routine he debuted alongside Time to Win by Down With Webster.

On TikTok, one clip of Carney gyrating has generated over 1.5 million views, with Canadians comparing Carney to Modern Family’s awkward Phil Dunphy character and saying that his shimmy reminded them of his unpopular predecessor Justin Trudeau.

“This is incredibly embarrassing,” one person commented, with another adding, “Nobody in real life dances like that.”

Others said his “cringeworthy” boogie was going to make it easier for U.S. President Donald Trump to realize his ambition to take over Canada.

“The 51st governor has some moves!” one person quipped as another swiped, “51st state incoming.”

“Canada is cooked,” a third predicted.

But not everyone found Carney’s choreography off putting. Some voters said his dance made him “likeable and relatable.”

“This is so amazing!” one person commented. “I have hope for Canada’s future. I get the ‘Obama’ vibes from him. We are so fortunate to have him.”

“I am proud of you, Canadians!” one American viewer wrote. “You saw what our ‘Conservatives’ devolved to in the U.S. and said, ‘Not today, Satan!'”

Heading into Monday’s election, Trump, who had repeatedly referred to former Prime Minister Trudeau as “Governor Trudeau,” once again claimed Canada should become a U.S. state.

“Elect the man who has the strength and wisdom to cut your taxes in half, increase your military power, for free, to the highest level in the World, have your Car, Steel, Aluminum, Lumber, Energy, and all other businesses, QUADRUPLE in size, WITH ZERO TARIFFS OR TAXES, if Canada becomes the cherished 51st. State of the United States of America,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Trump has hit Canada with tariffs on automobiles, steel and aluminum. His government is also planning to impose duties on lumber and copper.

On Friday, Trump was asked by Time magazine if he was trolling Canada by saying he wants the country to become the 51st state.

“Actually, no, I’m not,” he replied. “I’m really not trolling. Canada is an interesting case … We’re taking care of their military. We’re taking care of every aspect of their lives, and we don’t need them to make cars for us. In fact, we don’t want them to make cars for us. We want to make our own cars. We don’t need their lumber. We don’t need their energy. We don’t need anything from Canada. And I say the only way this thing really works is for Canada to become a state.”

Both Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre condemned Trump’s rhetoric, but during a potentially destabilizing time, the Liberal Leader sold himself as a more steady hand to help guide Canada forward.

In the run-up to the election, Carney, a former Goldman Sachs banker, joined forces with Toronto native Mike Myers for an ad themed around “elbows up,” a common hockey term used to signal it’s time to fight back.

In his victory speech early Tuesday, Carney promised to do just that.

“My message to every Canadian is this: No matter where you live, no matter what language you speak, no matter how you voted, I will always do my best to represent everyone who calls Canada home,” he said at an event in Ottawa.

Carney said he’s also ready to take on Trump’s threats.

“As I’ve been warning for months, America wants our land, our resources, our water, our country. These are not idle threats. President Trump is trying to break us so America can own us,” he said. “That will never — that will never, ever happen.”

mdaniell@postmedia.com