Former Bank of Canada governor and current candidate for the Liberal leadership, Mark Carney, is not a man of many public words … or, until recently, TV appearances.
Then suddenly, there he was: live on the Daily show in the US, being interviewed at length by late-night TV host Jon Stewart.
“I think in a situation like this you need change. You need to address the economy. We’ve got an economic crisis because of what Mr. Trump is about to do, or saying he is about to do. We also have challenges in housing, cost of living,” he said. “We need to get the economy moving.
“And truth be told, the government has been, not as focused on those issues as it could be,” he said. “We need to focus on them immediately; that can happen now, and that’s what this election is gonna be about,” Carney told Stewart.
Reactions from viewers were largely positive … very positive:
“How incredibly refreshing to hear an interview with a near-politician (of sorts) who can actually field a question without resorting to scripted attacks on some other political party / personality.”
“Man it’s been a while hearing intelligent and funny conversation instead of people just attacking each other!”
“As a Canadian it makes me proud to watch Mark Carney eloquently fence (explain points of interest), with one of the best rapier like minded interviewers in the Biz.”
Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was speaking out as well … at appearances/press conferences in Canada … coining a new slogan: “Canada First”.
There it was, on the front of Poilievre’s podium, replacing the previously highlighted “Axe the Tax” , “Bring it Home” , “Build the Homes,” ,”Fix the Budget,” and “Stop the Crime”.
All of them clear, concise and compelling … but, just slogans … accompanied by lots of rhetoric:
“These tariffs are a wakeup call that it is time for us to meet our potential,” CTV News reported Poilievre as saying, after US President Donald Trump announced plans to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian goods.
“It is time for us to be a country that can trade for itself, that builds homes quickly for its youth, that allows entrepreneurs to succeed quickly and profitably so that success is once again rewarded.”
Contrast that with this from another statement by Carney, speaking to the BBC’s Newsnight program:
““President Trump probably thinks Canada will cave in,” he said. “But we are going to stand up to a bully, we’re not going to back down. We’re united and we will retaliate.”
The Liberal leadership candidate was also quoted in Canada as saying:
“I support dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs aimed where they will be felt the hardest in the United States but will have the least impact in Canada. At the same time, we need a coordinated strategy to boost investment and to support our Canadian workers through what will be a difficult moment.”
Canadians are starting to pay attention … and see a difference.
For months now, polls have predicted the Liberals will be almost wiped out in the next federal election … finishing not only behind the Conservatives, but also the NDP, and, in some cases, even the Bloc Quebecois.
But that may be changing.
A Nanos Research poll last week found “39.6 per cent of Canadians surveyed consider Mr. Carney, the front-runner for the Liberal leadership, as the most qualified leader to negotiate with Mr. Trump and his administration. Twenty-six per cent of Canadians consider Mr. Poilievre as best qualified,” the Globe and Mail reported.
Nanos still found more Canadians, 42% would prefer a Conservative government, but the Liberals were on the move Up, scoring 26% approval, passing the NDP at 17%.
That is not good news for Poilievre/Conservatives.
Carney is personally coming across as more experienced, more articulate, more able to defend Canada and deal with Trump.
He is still is bogged down by Canadians’ anger, hurt and desire for vengeance against the pains they feel they have suffered at the hands of Justin Trudeau and the current Liberal government’s actions and policies.
But it’s clear Poilievre is going to have to come up with more than slogans and rhetoric to convince Canadians he can take on Trump … and win!
Harv Oberfeld
(Follow @harveyoberfeld on “X” for FREE First Alerts to new postings on this Blog.)