Prime Minister Mark Carney and Diana Fox Carney disembark a government plane as they arrive in Sydney, Australia, on March 3, 2026. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld
The wife of Prime Minister Mark Carney—Diana Fox Carney—has been appointed Canada’s first Ocean Envoy, an honorary position that will focus on ocean conservation and the economy of coastal communities.
Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson announced Fox Carney’s appointment in a Sept. 16 press release. It will be Fox Carney’s first official governmental role since her husband became prime minister last spring.
As Canada’s ocean envoy, it will be Fox Carney’s job to “advance Canada’s leadership by connecting ocean conservation, climate action, Indigenous leadership, economic resilience and maritime security,” the press release said.
Fox Carney will also chair the 12th annual Our Ocean Conference set to be hosted in Halifax next spring by the Government of Canada. The international conference serves as a platform for governmental entities, organizations, and academics to tackle current and emerging ocean-related concerns.
“As host of the 12th Our Ocean Conference, Canada has an opportunity to showcase its leadership in ocean conservation, sustainable fisheries, ocean science and Indigenous-led stewardship,” Thompson said. “I look forward to working with Diana Fox Carney on this important conference for Canada.”
The statement described the 2027 conference as a key part of Ottawa’s objective to conserve 30 percent of Canada’s marine and coastal environments by 2030.
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“The conference will provide an opportunity to deepen cooperation, share knowledge and experience, and secure commitments to ensure healthy and sustainable oceans for future generations,” Fox Carney said in the press release.
Fox Carney is a British-Canadian economist and environmentalist who met her husband while earning master’s of science degree in agricultural economics in 1992 at Oxford University. She also earned a master’s of arts degree in international relations from the University of Pennsylvania in 1988.
She has worked in both the United Kingdom and Canada at various think tanks that focus on climate policy and has served on the boards of a number of not-for-profit organizations.