Canada Leaders' Clash Over Trump, Tariffs, & the Road Ahead

Canadian federal party leaders faced off about housing policies along with energy solutions and Trump policies in their initial televised debate conducted in French language. Voters in Quebec perceived this event as critical whereas Liberal leader Mark Carney faced difficulties during his French language participation. A second English debate will take place just before the upcoming 28th of April voting date.

On the stage were the four main party candidates: Liberal leader and current Prime Minister Carney, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, and leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Jagmeet Singh and was moderated by Radio-Canada journalist Patrice Roy.

Roy opened the forum saying that Canada's short 36-day federal election had been "hijacked by Trump", and asked each leader to outline two campaign promises unrelated to the US or its tariffs. But soon afterwards, Roy questioned how each party would handle the trade war with the US, calling it the "elephant in the room".

The idea of Canada becoming the 51st US state has also been openly discussed by the president. The leader of the opposition Conservatives, Poilievre, charged that the Liberals in power had weakened Canada over the previous ten years, leaving it more exposed to economic threats. Carney highlighted his expertise working in the private sector and as a former central banker for both Canada and the UK.

"[Trump] respects people who understand the world and how the private sector works," Carney said.

NDP’s Singh criticized both Carney and Poilievre for favoring the wealthy. In a key French-language debate, Carney struggled with language and faced frequent attacks linking him to Trudeau’s legacy. Despite challenges, Carney defended his recent achievements, noting he was only sworn in last month.