The first Liberal Party of Canada leadership debate focused on the Trump administration’s threats, how the candidates would work with Quebec and the reforms they think Canada needs.
In a friendly discourse, the four Liberal candidates — frontrunners Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland, and Frank Baylis and Karina Gould — made clear they largely see eye-to-eye on most matters during the Feb. 24 French language debate.
All of the candidates promised to strengthen Canada’s economy and tackle the affordability crisis. For the most part, they were all careful about criticizing Liberal policies, such as on immigration and climate policy.
Carney, for example, said Canada’s high intake of immigrants under the Liberals has exacerbated the lack of affordable housing.
“There were errors in the past,” he said. He and the other candidates all pledged to reduce the number of immigrants that Canada admits.
All of the candidates also vowed to eliminate the carbon tax on consumers if elected.
The strongest points of disagreement came over the candidates’ proposed approaches to responding to President Donald Trump, who has threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian goods and annex Canada.
“Trump represents the greatest threat to Canada since World War II,” said Freeland, speaking in French.
The former deputy prime minister and finance minister catalyzed a political crisis in December when she abruptly resigned from cabinet after being told Carney would replace her as finance minister. Her resignation paved the way for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to announce on Jan. 6 that he would resign once his successor is chosen on March 9.
Freeland said Trump’s public support for Russia over its war against Ukraine signals he may believe one country can decide to redraw another country’s borders.
She boasted of her previous track record of negotiating with Trump. During Trump’s first term, Freeland led Canadian negotiations with the U.S. and Mexico over revising NAFTA.
Freeland said that, in response to U.S. tariffs, she would impose counter tariffs, including 100 per cent tariffs on certain goods, such as Teslas. The EV car company is owned by Elon Musk, Trump’s close advisor.
Freeland also said the tariff threat highlights the importance of Canada establishing economic agreements and partnerships abroad, such as with the EU and Asia Pacific countries.
Carney, speaking in French, said, “Canada is facing the worst crisis of our lifetime.”
Carney, who formerly headed Canada and England’s central banks, emphasized his experience leading the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis.
He argued that instead of focusing on Trump, the government should focus on strengthening Canada. It needs to leverage its natural resources and form partnerships with countries that share our values and languages, he said.
Baylis, who represented Montreal’s Pierrefond-Dollard riding in 2015 but did not run in the 2019 election, proposed that Canada form a new economic alliance with Australia, New Zealand and the U.K.
In 1986, Baylis and his mother founded the medical device maker Baylis Medical Company Inc., which he sold for US$1.75 billion in 2021. Baylis touted his experience in the public and private sectors, saying they would help him negotiate with Trump.
“I published an article in the newspapers just one day before [Trump’s] inauguration day, and I said that he was going to target steel first, and that’s exactly what he did,” said Baylis, speaking in French. “So I can predict what he’s going to do, and that’s why I feel that I can prepare our defense and our counter attack.”
Gould, who has represented the Burlington riding since 2015, also supported diversifying trade relations, including with Latin America.
Quebec
The French language debate presented an opportunity for the Liberal candidates to showcase their bilingualism to Canada’s approximately 10 million French speakers.
Freeland, Gould and Baylis, the candidates with prior political experience, communicated effectively throughout the debate.
While Carney was a clear orator, his French faltered at times. At one point, he accidentally said “we agree with Hamas.” After being corrected by Freeland, Carney clarified that he agreed with the other candidates that the Liberal Party stood in opposition to Hamas and that he also supported a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine.
The candidates also spoke about how they would lead the federal government’s approach to working with Quebec.
Carney said the threat of U.S. tariffs created a need to create “one single Canadian economy,” because “the positive impact will be more than the negative impact than Trump’s tariffs.”
All of the candidates said they opposed Quebec’s Bill 21, a law that bans religious symbols in public buildings. They all also said they would not change the government’s approach to provincial funding transfers.
Most candidates also said they support Quebec Premier François Legault and other premiers who have said they would consider cutting the export of natural resources such as electricity and oil to the U.S. in response to tariffs.
The candidates will be participating in an English language debate on Feb. 25.
