Diana Fox Carney, the wife of Prime Minister Mark Carney, has taken on a new voluntary position focusing on ocean conservation. In her capacity as Canada’s inaugural ocean envoy, Fox Carney will promote the country’s leadership in connecting ocean conservation with climate action, Indigenous stewardship, economic resilience, and maritime security. Additionally, she will lead the 12th annual Our Ocean Conference in Halifax next year.
Minister of Fisheries Joanne Thompson expressed anticipation for the 2027 conference, emphasizing Canada’s chance to demonstrate leadership in ocean conservation, sustainable fisheries, ocean science, and Indigenous-led stewardship. The upcoming conference aligns with Ottawa’s commitment to safeguard 30% of Canada’s marine and coastal areas by 2030, fostering collaboration and securing commitments for healthy and sustainable oceans for future generations.
Fox Carney has a background in economics and environmentalism, having garnered attention for her accomplishments in these fields independent of her husband’s tenure as prime minister. With master’s degrees in agricultural economics from Oxford and international relations from the University of Pennsylvania, she has been involved in various non-profit organizations and held significant roles in leading think tanks in Canada and the U.K., advocating for environmental causes and income equality.
Her involvement in a Canada 2020 think-tank paper in 2013 sparked debate on carbon pricing in the country. Recently, in 2021, Fox Carney assumed a senior adviser role at the Eurasia Group, a consultancy providing political research and guidance to global businesses and policymakers.
Overall, Fox Carney’s appointment as Canada’s ocean envoy underscores her dedication to environmental issues and her ongoing contributions to economic and environmental spheres.