Mark Carney vows to 'stand up to Trump' in second Canada debate
3 Min Read
In a tense Canadian election debate, Prime Minister Mark Carney deflected attacks from rivals by warning that Donald Trump poses the greatest threat to Canada's economy.
-
Liberal Leader Mark Carney points toward Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre during the federal leaders' debate, Montreal, April 16, 2025. (AP)
Prime Minister Mark Carney came under heavy fire from Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre during Thursday’s federal election debate, but the Liberal leader repeatedly redirected the conversation toward what he described as the country’s most serious danger: US President Donald Trump.
Although recent polls show the Conservatives still behind, Carney’s Liberals have gained ground ahead of the April 28 vote, benefiting from a surge in support since Carney took over from Justin Trudeau on March 14. Poilievre aimed to blunt that momentum during the English-language debate, following a French-language exchange the night before.
Trump’s aggressive trade tactics and threats of annexation have sparked outrage across Canada. Poilievre has faced backlash for focusing his criticism solely on the Liberals rather than confronting Washington. But as the campaign has progressed, he has tried to do both, accusing the Liberals of weakening the economy and making Canada more vulnerable to Trump’s policies.
At the debate, Poilievre claimed the Liberals handed “Donald Trump and the US a near monopoly over our energy” by blocking pipeline development. The longtime Conservative MP also worked to link Carney to Trudeau’s unpopular legacy. “The question you have to ask is, after a decade of Liberal promises, can you afford food? Is your housing more affordable than it used to be?” he asked. “How can we possibly believe that you [Carney] are any different than the previous 10 years of Liberal government?” he added, calling Carney “Justin Trudeau’s economic adviser.”
Canada is ready to step up. pic.twitter.com/9nLj5WZgzr
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) April 14, 2025
Carney pushes back
Carney pushed back, telling Poilievre, “I know you want to be running against Justin Trudeau. Justin Trudeau isn’t here.” He kept his focus on Trump throughout the night, insisting, “The biggest risk we have to this economy is Donald Trump.” Calling out the US president’s ambitions, he warned, “He is trying to break us so he can own us," concluding, “We’re all going to stand up against Donald Trump. I’m ready.”
Carney also faced criticism from NDP leader Jagmeet Singh and Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, who questioned whether his years in the private sector, especially at Brookfield and earlier at Goldman Sachs, make him too corporate to fight for workers. Carney defended his experience, saying it would serve him well in office. “I’m on the side of Canadians,” he said.
At the start of the year, when Trudeau announced his resignation, the Conservatives led the Liberals by 24 points. But as of Thursday, CBC polling averages showed the Liberals at 43.3%, with the Conservatives at 38%.
