There were several moments when federal Liberal leadership hopeful Mark Carney drew cheers and applause from a crowd of more than 300 party faithful during a quick stop in 麻豆精选 on Tuesday morning (Feb. 12).
One of the biggest cheers came when he addressed the U.S. tariff threat.
鈥淚n a crisis, plan beats no plan," he said. "We have a plan for Canada that is going to deliver the strongest economy and ride out the Americans until they come back to the table.鈥�
Carney said that the Americans have lost their way and have forgotten about the 鈥渂ig hits鈥� and 鈥渟queezes鈥� on the middle class.
鈥淭hey have also let the tech giants and others run people鈥檚 lives鈥攏ow they鈥檙e letting them run the government.鈥�
He told the crowd that the U.S. wants Canada鈥檚 resources. 鈥淭hey want our water. They want our land. They would destroy our way of life.鈥�
Carney addressed U.S. President Donald Trump鈥檚 demands that Canada stem what he claimed was the threat of fentanyl and illegal aliens crossing the border.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a challenge here, but it鈥檚 a crisis there,鈥� Carney said. 鈥淯s doing what we can to help them with that is absolutely appropriate. Securing our borders is in our interests as much as it is in theirs.鈥�
On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appointed former RCMP deputy commissioner Kevin Brosseau as Canada鈥檚 new fentanyl czar.
Trump's threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all goods from Canada, and 10 per cent on energy, has been paused for 30 days after Canada implemented new border measures. This week, the U.S. also threatened a 25 per cent tariff on all global steel and aluminum imports starting March 12.
During his speech, Carney told the crowd that he wasn鈥檛 a politician. 鈥淏ut I am a pragmatist,鈥� he continued. 鈥淪o when I see something that鈥檚 not working, I try to change it.鈥�
One example he gave was the consumer carbon tax. 鈥淕ood idea on paper, put into action with good intentions, but something that鈥檚 become very divisive in our country.鈥�
Quoting federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, Carney said the issue is not whether to 鈥渁xe the tax鈥� but rather how to change it. He said Canada needs a government that spends less but encourages more investment.
鈥淪o, my government will balance the spending budget within the first three years,鈥� he added.
Carney said the level of income for young people needs to increase. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to give them a boost, and we will deliver a direct boost to the incomes of young Canadians so that they can catch up.鈥�
He also promised 鈥渕ajor changes鈥� in the housing market to help young people. Carney then touched on inter-provincial trade barriers.
鈥淲e are going to have one economy in this country, not 13,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ithin the first few weeks of my government, we鈥檒l convene first ministers and the prime minister to identify those big projects that are national priorities in order to sweep away the barriers.鈥�
The federal election is scheduled for Oct. 25, however, opposition parties have threatened to bring down the Liberal government once Parliament resumes on March 24.
