Carney targeted in French debate as rivals question Liberal record

Published 17/04/2025, 15:24
Updated 17/04/2025, 15:26
© Reuters

Investing.com -- Canada’s four major federal party leaders clashed in their first all-leaders debate of the election campaign, with Prime Minister Mark Carney drawing criticism from all sides. The debate, held in French in Quebec, exposed vulnerabilities in Carney’s messaging and language skills as his opponents challenged the Liberal government’s economic track record and fiscal promises.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh both accused Carney of repackaging policies from the former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government. “You were Justin Trudeau’s adviser — have you forgotten that?” Poilievre said, after Carney repeated the line, “I just got here.”

Carney defended his early record as prime minister and previewed a $500 billion investment plan over five years, aimed at sectors like housing and green infrastructure. When asked how it would be funded, he cited “catalyzing private investment” through demand-generating measures such as GST cuts on some homes.

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet dismissed Carney’s fiscal claims as fantasy, calling it a “Harry Potter budget.” Singh echoed Blanchet’s skepticism, saying, “You’re promising magic, Mr. Carney,” as the three opposition leaders questioned whether Ottawa could afford tax cuts alongside major spending.

Housing emerged as a flashpoint, with Carney promising funding for affordable development and Poilievre accusing him of copying failed Liberal policies. The Conservative leader pledged to accelerate homebuilding by reducing permitting delays, declaring, “We don’t need more bureaucrats. We need more doors for families.”

Singh fired back at Poilievre over his past tenure as housing minister, claiming only six homes were built during that period—a figure Poilievre strongly disputed, insisting the true number was 200,000. Blanchet, meanwhile, emphasized prioritizing local infrastructure projects, including the Quebec City tramway and a Montreal hospital.

Notably, none of the major parties have released full election platforms, a point raised several times throughout the evening. Carney pledged to release the Liberal platform by Monday, while Poilievre promised his own plan “in a few days.”

The leaders are set to meet again in an English-language debate tonight, where Carney, who retains a near-seven-point advantage in recent polls, will face continued scrutiny over policy specifics and his tenure in both domestic and international roles.

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