Leaders target campaign front-runner Mark Carney in French-language debate

CITYnews halifax / By Kelsey Patterson

With the Liberals leading heavily in the polls less than two weeks away from Canada’s general election, Mark Carney was in the crosshairs throughout Wednesday’s French-language debate in Montreal.

The leaders of Canada’s four main federal political parties squared off in the first of two debates ahead of the April 28 vote.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre attacked the Liberals’ economic policies from the last decade under Justin Trudeau, and said Carney is simply repeating those policies. “You’re just like Justin Trudeau. We need change,” Poilievre said.

He later took a shot at the Liberal leader’s track record as the governor of the Bank of England.

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet echoed Poilievre’s attacks, claiming Carney was fundamentally similar to his predecessor.

“It’s the same ministers, the same cabinet, the same ideology, the same hostility towards Quebec values,” Blanchet said. “It’s not because you change the leader that the philosophy that you contributed to will change from one day to the next.”

Blanchet added Carney had an unproven track record, no political experience, and accused him of not reaching out to provincial leaders in his brief time as prime minister — before the election was called.

“I never got a call from him. There was no willingness on his part,” Blanchet said.

Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, New Democratic Party Leader Jagmeet Singh and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre listen to Liberal leader Mark Carney speak during the French-language federal leaders’ debate, in Montreal, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

The NDP’s Jagmeet Singh pointed the finger at Carney for not increasing employment insurance against the backdrop of American tariffs hurting Canadian workers.

Carney repeatedly defended himself, saying he was not the country’s leader for very long.

“I just started as prime minister a month ago,” he responded to Blanchet. “I just got here, I just got here,” Carney later told Poilievre when the Conservative leader charged Liberals with always wanting to raise taxes.

Carney also came under attack by Blanchet and Singh for what they say was the Liberal leader proposing to increase spending while also promising to make cuts. Blanchet called Carney’s proposal a “Harry Potter budget” and called it magical thinking. Singh chimed in, saying it was one of the “rare times” he agreed with the Bloc leader.

It’s the first federal debate for front-runners Carney and Poilievre, who are also going head to head for the very first time. Blanchet and Singh previously debated other party leaders in 2019 and 2021.

‘We can’t control Trump’

The leaders began the debate by sparring over how to respond to the trade war with the United States and pitching themselves as the best one to negotiate with Trump.

Poilievre said that on his first day in office, he would open negotiations with Trump on an agreement put an end to tariffs.

“We can’t control Trump. So at the same time, we need to control what we can,” Poilievre said.

“That means reversing the Liberal economic policies which have weakened our country, unlocking out (natural) resources, cut taxes, bring jobs here to face Trump with strength.”

Carney said Canada needs to plan for the worst-case scenario and have a strategy to build a stronger economy.

“It’s those elements that will work with Trump. He respects strength, he respects people who know how the world and the private sector works,” Carney said.

“Canada has to create other options, new international trade partners, and that’s what I promise.”

Blanchet said Canada needs to align with countries that are being affected by U.S. tariffs and “negotiate rationally.”

“Trump will hang himself with his own cord because his measures are extremely toxic to the U.S. economy,” he said. “In the meantime, he will also create damage everywhere.”

Singh said Canada needs to prioritize what matters most and invest rather than cut.

“Like our agriculture, our culture, our French language; not sacrifice it,” Singh said.

“A profound value for us is taking care of each other. How we do that is reinforcing our health-care system, not Americanizing it.”

Cutting out American products

The party leaders were also asked which U.S. products they’ve cut from their daily lives.

All other party leaders took a dig at Carney by saying they no longer buy U.S. strawberries. In a recent interview with a Quebec talk show, when asked if he still buys U.S. strawberries, Carney said he doesn’t buy his own groceries.

“No more wine, no more American alcohol,” Carney said.

“I do my own groceries, and I cook myself. So lots of fruit,” Singh said.

“This is a delicious conversation,” Poilievre quipped, adding he buys Canadian beef.

Earlier in the debate Carney cited his promises to double housing construction, while Poilievre vowed to cut income taxes and GST on new homes. Blanchet said Quebec should have the right to run its own economy using its own natural resources. Singh prioritized health care, noting his party’s efforts to secure dental and pharmacare programs under the previous government.

The two-hour French-language debate is being moderated by Radio-Canada’s Patrice Roy and is focusing on five themes: the cost of living, energy and climate, the trade war, identity and sovereignty, and immigration and foreign affairs.

The co-leader of the Green Party was initially slated to take part in the debate, but was disinvited hours before the start time; organizers said the party failed to meet its participation criteria.

The debate was originally scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT but was moved two hours earlier because the Montreal Canadiens are playing a crucial hockey game Wednesday night.

The candidates will be back on the same stage Thursday for the English debate.

The debate is being livestreamed on CityNews 24/7. Omni Television has debate translations in Mandarin, Cantonese, Punjabi, Tagalog, Arabic and Italian on their YouTube page.

–With files from The Canadian Press