Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced the creation of the Canada Strong Fund, the country's first sovereign wealth fund, with an initial government contribution of C$25 billion (approximately US$18 billion). The fund will target investment in energy, infrastructure, mining, agriculture, and technology, and will also allow individual Canadians to contribute directly — an arrangement not seen in comparable funds elsewhere. The move, framed as a response to shifting trade relations with the United States and the threat of American tariffs, has drawn criticism from opposition Conservatives, who argue that launching such a fund while the country is running a deficit makes it a "sovereign debt fund" rather than a genuine wealth vehicle.