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.)
Is Carney a post nationalist downplaying fentanyl epidemic?
Same kool aid different packaging?
It’s important to remember that Pierre Poilievre was the Minister of Housing in the same cabinet as Jim Flaherty under former Prime Minister Harper. Their policies and fiscal responsibility led Canada through the 2009 financial crisis better than in other G7 countries.
Mark Carney was Governor of the Bank of Canada at the time. He was a bureaucrat who relied on the wisdom of the Conservative government to guide Canada through the severe financial crisis. Mr. Carney wanted to print more money while Stephen Harper ordered restraint, increased interest rates (they increase the return on savings, make borrowing more expensive and help to slow inflation), and limited spending.
When Mr. Carney was Governor of the Bank of England, there was tremendous financial turmoil regarding Brexit and low interest rates. His solution wasn’t to increase interest rates and exercise financial restraints, policies which worked well historically not only in Canada but in countries all around the world. His solution was to print lots and lots of money.
The result was predictable high inflation. The UK was hit by a serious financial crisis thanks to his love of printing money rather than an increase in interest rates and controlled spending. When his financial mess got so big that he couldn’t manage it, what did he do? He returned to Canada and is now well placed to become not only the leader of the Liberal Party but also the Prime Minister of Canada. Even worse, he’s now trying to revise history by making us believe that it was thanks to him that Canada managed the 2009 financial crisis so well.
The Liberals are happy to do their part in rewriting history, but voters can do their research and judge for themselves. Pierre Poilievre was part of the team that stopped Mr. Carney from destroying the economy 16 years ago, and he can do it again.
Now Mr. Carney tells us the carbon tax must be replaced. Notice that he didn’t say it must be eliminated, just that it must be replaced. Here are four suggestions: a) clean air and water tax; b) environmental tax c) net zero tax d) pure earth tax. Take your price. As William Shakespeare, a rose by any another tax would smell just as sweet. In other words, a tax by any other name would hurt just as much.
(Response: Whoever gets elected and eliminates (or reduces) the carbon tax will have to replace the lost revenues somewhere else. They owe it to us to say where and how BEFORE we vote … and the media should be asking over and over until they do! H.o)
Here are ten questions the media should ask Mark Carney.
1) How different are you from Justin Trudeau if you have the same advisors and have been his economic advisor since the pandemic?
2) Why do you feel it is necessary to have three passports?
3) If you are defeated in an election, do you plan to leave Canada?
4) Do you agree with the policies of the Liberal government regarding taxation, immigration, environmental regulations, crime and drugs?
5) Do you agree that Canada needs to do more to develop its natural resources?
6) Do you agree that Canada needs to build more pipelines?
7) Do you agree with the policies of the WEF?
8) What will you do to prevent foreign interference in Canadian elections in the future?
9) Do you agree that it is a priority to address Canada’s debt?
10) Is it acceptable that Quebec refuses pipelines across its territory and at the same time buys oil from Saudi Arabia?
Harvey: Premier Eby said two days ago that tariffs aren’t hurting demand for our aluminum. In response to Daniel, you asked where we could replace revenue from the carbon tax.
We might as well top US tariffs off with Canadian duties for that extra income. If US tariffs don’t slow demand for Canadian goods then we have been leaving money on the table for years.
(Response: US businesses and many US states make billions of dollars sending their products to Canada, so I am believing more and more that Trump is just a bag of hot air: any tariffs.. if imposed at all … will be gone within a year, as long as Canada retaliates dollar for dollar. The Americans know that if they don’t buy our oil,gas and resources, other nations will! H.o)
Trump has media and the like talking about him … he loves attention and he is getting it ten fold. Here we all are talking about what he wants and what he will do. He is some form of a Putin or dictator …. the next four years will be hell if the 25% tariffs go ahead …My wife said if Canada were to become a 51st state , we would move to Italy(she’s the landlord, what can I say!) … joking of course that we becoming a US state is absurd ….
Great opinions on this topic … and the CBC what are they saying ??? I am sure they are on the US side …who knows …
(Response: CBC is NEVER on the US side. But don’t pack your bags yet: Trump’s rants about the 51st state are just that: rants designed to soften Canada up in coming negotiations. H.o)
Carney is disingenuous in attempting to distance himself from Trudeau when he was effectively an advisor joined at the hip to Trudeau and the Liberal policies of the last few years. Hopefully this will be emphasized and pointed out by Poilievre in the election campaign.
(Response: I have no doubt the Conservatives are busy researching, finding every piece of info/tape/document linking Carney to Trudeau … policy related and personally. H.o)
I loathe what the Liberals have done to this country.
10 YEARS of grotesque budget deficits leading us to a National debt over 1 Trillion dollars.
Unforgivable. Criminal.
Then there’s the Woke & DEI lecturing.
Unaffordable housing & Uncontrolled Immigration.
SNC Lavalin scandal, Attorney General Jody Wilson Raybould fired .
We Charity scandal.
On and on and on.
I will NEVER vote Liberal again after what Trudeau and his lecturing, smug, socialist cabal have done to this country. The Liberals disgust me.
Former Trudeau staffers Butts and Telford working hand in hand with Carney and people actually think things will improve?
(Response: I’m sure that is music to the Conservatives’ ears … and they hope millions of voters will still feel that way, even if the Liberals choose Carney. H.o)
Carney did say one interesting thing today, it shows he is at least thinking. He stated that we need a position or vision we will pursue should negotiations fail. To me that will be the election issue between Carney and Poilievre, not who can negotiate with Trump but who has the vision and best equipped to lead Canadians and where will they lead us during what may a coming period of US isolationism that could last up to 12 years.
A little off topic but if we are to negotiate with the US we should take Trump’s comments about annexing Canada or Canada joining the US for what it is, a joke, and not allow it impact our negotiating position. The process of becoming a state is governed under the US Constitution Article IV, Section 3, clause 2 and requires a simple majority vote of both the congress and senate to allow a territory to become a state. However practice requires one, a majority of Canadian vote to seek statehood, two, that Canada petitions the U.S. Congress for statehood, and three, Canada would be required to adopt a form of government and constitution that are in compliance with the U.S. Constitution. Puerto Rico is still waiting to a state despite several majority votes to join. Could you see the US accepting a state with two official languages.
(Response: The “state” thing will never happen: it’s just Trump blowing smoke .. along with his Panama, Greenland and Gaza hype … to detract from his real project … dismantling many of the US’s internal government bodies and organizations, especially those dealing with justice, the environment, civil rights and hindering his kleptocracy! H.o)
Carney’s French may not be perfect, however,
https://nationalpost.com/news/liberals-are-surging-back-in-quebec-bring-it-on-says-leader-of-the-bloc
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/leger-poll-carney-as-leader-would-have-liberals-tied-with-conservatives/
(Response; As I wrote, there is something about Poilievre that Quebeckers don’t like, despite his ability to speak french fairly well. H.o)
Polliviere better fill his tank, because he’s running on fumes now since Carney came on board. I think,people are getting tired of PPs broken record. He better come up with something of substance because the competition is here. Just what I like to see in politics. It’s going to be an interesting campaign. Lots of excitement this time round in the political arena, me thinks.
(Response; Yes… it will be a fun campaign for political junkies! 🙂 H.o)
Mr. Carney has an impressive background, speaks eloquently, and appears more polished than Mr. Poilievre but let us not forget that he has been working behind the scenes with the Liberals for approximately the last two years. I’m wondering if he were elected prime minister that we would not be getting more of the same. I saw his explanation of how he would handle the carbon tax and he had me scratching my head. It felt like when you walked out of a store after buying something and you realised you didn’t really need it.
I’m not 100% sure that Poilievre would be a great P M. I am a bit leery of career politicians. He certainly can handle himself during the parliament question periods. I would like to see how he would negotiate with Trump. It’s time however to stop playing the blame game and come up with a concrete plan of how things could change for the better in Canada. Action speaks louder than words.
I really can’t see how Mr. Poilievre would do any worse than any of the candidates we now have when it comes to dealing with that megalomaniac south of the border.
I’m willing to give him a chance. I pray that whoever wins the next election will do so with a majority government. I couldn’t take another four years of what we’ve just been through.
(Response: Whoever wins, I believe the carbon tax will be gone, severely reduced or segmented away from retail consumers at the pump. But what we really need to know is what will replace it? And what else do the parties have planned to make up any lost revenues? H.o)
Butts & Telford still want to continue ruining our country, many will see through Carney’s bluster.
Food security is the most overlooked issue that no leader (or leader in waiting) of any party seems aware of. How much of our food is imported, how much from the US? How much from other nations? Are all of the supply chain issues from the pandemic merely political footnotes or will someone running fashion a policy to increase food farming in Canada for our domestic needs? My neighbour grows Bananas & coffee in minus temps, why is this not being copied elsewhere, bananas & coffee are almost 100% imported. Population growth recently has exploded but not much increase in domestic food production, why? Ignorance of issues caused by bad farming law is not acceptable, make Canada feed Canadians again! Why are we surprised when China weaponizes Canola exports? Why are we raising so much of that stuff when we import much of our food, want to curtail fuel usage in food transportation, grow it yourself! Just saved the environment far more than the current punitive user tax on carbon….
The tact of targeting Trump voting States is absurd, target all of America’s businesses equally, virtue signalling and politically targeting regions is meddling in US politics, don’t meddle, push the accelerator to the medal underneath it! Too many selective taxes/tariffs will only water down the effect which needs to be served on all US businesses equally for maximum effect. The only thing the Bully down there will respect is a tougher Bully, full stop!
Carney is a globalist, a group which has enabled much of the idiocy seen down south, we do not need globalists, we need to increase domestic production of all items currently imported, that is the only path to sorting out trade imbalances and strengthening our GDP, not relying on foreign suppliers who face it, can change course at will.
(Response: Grocery imports .. especially vegetables and fruits … come down to cost. US states like California have massive agricultural investment in production, along with climate advantages, bringing down costs. Hard for struggling Canadian families to Buy Canadian … unless tariffs on US imports make our own competitive. H.o)
Just wait for the looming issues with US produce. Trump’s tossing out the workers so I ask do we rely upon that questionable source or just develop our own source? Buying the cheapest food is supporting Trumps society of Oligarchs, building domestic supply is long overdue!
(Response: Our weather is a problem when it comes to year round large scale agricultural production. However we should be able to step up production/supply of fruit and vegetables in many provinces for the Spring, Summer and even well into Fall. Ad I believe many, many Canadians really WANT now to Buy Canadian! H.o)
The seasonal aspect is easily overcome, methane encapsulation on meat farms could yield much energy, google Methane in Chilliwack which currently displaces natural gas in one subdivision, this model would be a worthy investment which mitigates methane from livestock operations and the encapsulated methane could heat growing enclosures for many food items currently imported, and the saving on fossil fuel for transport would do more for the environment than consumer carbon taxation ever has.
The current regime is fixated on penalizing fuel usage, not replacing it with other available sources of energy. Carney, Butts & Telford are all seemingly incapable of fathoming a energy source we now vent into the atmosphere, just as I cannot fathom a “revenue neutral” carbon tax scam we now have.
I’d be interested in Carney’s true thoughts on energy self sufficiency, does he possess the stones to make us self sufficient or just wish to cater to the Quebecois extortionists who are addicted to imported oil, which enables Trump, Putin, Maduro and a few other, less than decently governed nations?
“A week is a long time in politics” – former UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson
In Canada, a “week in politics” is fast becoming an eternity for the Conservatives. I have read that every day Herr Trump mentions he wants to make Canada the 51st state, the conservatives loose around .5% popularity.
What was considered a “slam-dunk” for the “Wee P” and his cohort of Maple MAGA’s, with their entire politcal campaign based on anti Trudeau rhetoric are now scrambling to reinvent themselves with the current “clear and present danger”.
Those “F*** Trudeau” flags are coming back to haunt them big time.
The “Wee P” is still fighting the ghost of Trudeau, who is stepping down and they have little else to offer.
The next election will be framed around a career politician and his party which is somewhat aligned with the Mango Mussolini down south, against, which most probably will be a economist, with the where-with-all to guide the good ship Canada through our rocky waters.
What Herr Trump has done, is to make sure I vote in the next election and as I have stated before, the next election will be framed with “Churchill’s” or “Quislings” and with my grandfathers fighting in France 1915-18 and my dad’s duty in the North Atlantic 1944-45, I will vote who I believe will be a “Churchill”, in their memory of duty done to make Canada what it is today.
Mark Carney reminds me of Michael Ignatieff. He’s intelligent and new to politics. In fact, his lack of political experience might be a problem, but it certainly didn’t stop Donald Trump from winning, so I’m not sure.
According to Liz Truss, Mark Carney was a disaster as the Governor of the Bank of England. She says he printed too much money and caused a lot of inflation. Some will probably say that Liz Truss’s problems were her own fault, but the fact is that Mark Carney was Governor of the Bank of England far longer than Liz Truss was Prime Minister.
Mark Carney has three nationalities: Canadian, British and Irish. I understand it’s not illegal, but I prefer only one nationality for Canadian Prime Ministers. If I’m not mistaken, Stephane Dion was criticized for having a French passport.
Pierre Poilievre speaks better French than Mark Carney. I’ve read that Mark Carney is studying French every day. In my opinion, Pierre Poilievre’s French is better, so that could help in la belle province.
Mark Carney will probably get very good evaluations from the Canadian media, and I expect he has a lot of support from the Liberal establishment. I’m sure Pierre Poilievre would have preferred an election against Justin Trudeau, but the Liberal leader knew he was going to be defeated very badly in the next election, so he announced his intention to resign. For many Canadians that day can’t come soon enough.
(Response: Yes, Poilievre’s French is better than Carney’s …much better …but there’s something about Poilievre that is not going over well in Quebec, to the point the Bloc Quebecois is benefitting from him being the Conservative leader. I still think Carney’s biggest problem will be the Trudeau Liberals’ legacy, but I do find it fascinating that, where there was almost only total darkness ahead, the Liberals can see at least a glimmer of light that their fortunes might rebound under Carney. H.o)
Carney would do well as P.M., as would Canada. As you point out he did well in G.B. He has the experience. Dealing with Trump and his threats will require some one with international experience and have the respect of other world leaders. PP isn’t going to have that. His solution today was to have a military base in the north. Canada would pay for it by cutting back on foreign aid. How trumpy of him, cutting back on foreign aid is not what we need to be doing during this time. With the U.S.A. eliminating their foreign aid, other countries will have to step up. As you point out an Arctic military base won’t keep the Russians out. they have nuclear weapons and they’d use them. Carney is the best choice at this time, even if he is a Liberal. He has the potential to defeat PP in an election and then gain support from other nations to deal with Trump. Canada and a number of other countries are int he fight for their lives with Trump’s agenda. Trump is simply mad. He is going to destroy his own country. I don’t want my country to be destroyed along the way.
(Response: Well, Carney is sure making the coming election more interesting! I’m assuming he will win the Liberal leadership …but, of course, you never know what Freeland is accomplishing behind the scenes to call in old I.O.U’s! H.o)
Hi Harvey, by all means, all of you who haven’t had enough of what Trudeau has done to this country, get out and vote for Carney. He will give you a lot more of the same and more. He has the same cast of characters as Trudeau, with Butts and Telford in the PMO.
It looks like the Liberal Party has rigged the vote to start with, therefore $350,000. fee to join the contest. That really gets rid of the riffraff and pretenders. Carney is probably the only one who can afford that on his own, but of course others would have backers too, but would they come up with the funds when it looks like the fix is in.
I personally think it would be a mistake to think of Carney, as the one to right the good ship Canada. The sleaze of the Liberal Party, the sleaze of this government, should not be forgotten and forgiven so easily. They have harmed Canada and Canadians, in so many ways, we should be very careful about ever trusting them again. I still don’t even trust Trudeau to resign, as he said he would.
(Response: I am certainly aware that many Canadians share your beliefs about the record of the Liberals under Trudeau and that will indeed impact Carney. As I wrote: “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.” I’m just pointing out that Trump’s aggressions/insults/actions ARE having an impact on Canadians and what was only weeks ago unthinkable (a Liberal comeback) does now seem to be possible. If the trend continues, the coming election won’t be as sure a dunk for Poilievre/Conservatives we all expected. H.o)
Enjoy your perspective.
(Response: Isn’t politics fun! H.o)
Within Mr. Carney’s experience is as Governor of the Bank of England he dealt with fallout from brexit and the associated currency and trade issues and sudden restrictions from the E.U., also navigating the “ misinformation” put out by pro brexit buffoons Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage. In short, a similar been there done that relative to Canada’s present situation.
Also his experience in contrast to Polievre’s is one of accomplishment at the highest levels. Not having any experience outside of sticking a wet finger in the wind then moving from one to right wing circle to another as long as the cheques don’t bounce which seems to be the pre-requisite for leaders of the federal conservatives.
However, I do think Carney and the liberals will be vulnerable on the nationwide urban mayhem file if they don’t come up with executable actions and timelines, not just more talk. Provincial and civic officials are tearing their hair out at the lack of action by the feds.
Tell us what you are going to do, when you will do it and if it’s believable I will vote for Mr. Carney if he becomes leader as we need to get the next election right.
(Response: We should never underestimate the anger and unhappiness Canadians feel about the Liberals, especially in dealing with revolving door criminals and taxes (I just paid $1.90 a litre today for gas!). It’s ironic that Trump’s attacks on Canada seem to be the Liberals’ hope for their political future. H.o.)
Polievre’s big mistake was not accepting the invitation to join “Team Canada” in the fight against Trump. Rona Ambrose was a big part of the battle in Trump’s first term. Polievre seems good at one thing: attacking Trudeau. Well, Trudeau is leaving. Time to show you can do something else.
(Response: Exactly! Poilievre today announced plans to build a permanent military base in our Artic. I personally think he’ll have to do better than that: a full scale Arctic military base would be hugely expensive, not be much of a defence if the Russians ever did attack … and do nothing to help Canadians pay for housing, groceries or, frankly, feel safer walking our streets! H.o.)
And last night, still ads attacking Trudeau. I don’t get it; the country in peril with economic attacks down south and the Conservatives still going on about Trudeau and axing the Carbon tax.
Trudeau has had a sort of “resurrection” with his dealing with the Trump administration and where is the Wee P in all this? Building bases in the Artic? Really?
For someone who was never, ever going to vote Liberal and who voted Conservative in the last election, the “Wee P” and his Conservatives are fast going from “toxic” to “radio active”.
(Response: I don’t see them as going radio-active … not yet by any means. However they certainly must step up their ideas and message! H.o)
The radio active comment was my personal opinion as i can see the utter hate of Trudeau and the Liberals lingers.
Decisions made in hate, tend to be bad decisions and at this point in time we need to be as clear thinking as we can.
The following maybe of interest. As I coordinated our 50 year grad reunion, I made contact with people I had not talked to in 50 years, in fact some I do not remember – yikes!
A small quartet of us had a morning coffee at the local coffee bean (not Starbucks) and the topic of the boycott came up.
Now, due to health concerns I cant travel further than 5 hours from a Canadian Hospital, but the other three chaps all have cancelled their “winter fun in the sun” trips down south.
The reason all boiled down to this; the USA isn’t the USA of the last 10 years and it has changed, including open insults to those deemed not American and a latent patriotism as Canada is deemed in trouble and traveling to the cause of that trouble was deemed unpatriotic.
We are living in interesting times.
I think it will take about 2 months tops for all Trumps rhetoric and cuts to really sink in with the American voters.
Ruthless cuts to the govt. tourism suffering because of Canadians boycotting US trips, Tariffs, …
Yep.
Lets see who Trump blames/throws under the bus in May…as US inflation and unemployment numbers rise.
(Response: Consumers DO have power. I still will snowbird … best for my health …and cruise the Caribbean (foreign ship, foreign crew, foreign ports) BUT this week I did cancel a booked cruise from Vancouver 16 days to/around the Hawaiian Islands … worth about $7,000 all expenses included. Now imagine if millions of Canadians with planned “vacations” in the US do the same! Canadian consumers do have power! H.o)