1) (Updated) ‘You, sir, are not a change’: Party leaders target Carney in English election debate

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Canadian Press Staff, April 18, 2025

Liberal Leader Mark Carney spent his first English election debate presenting himself as a safe pair of hands for a country in crisis — while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre sought to frame him as more of the same after a decade of Liberal government.

Carney, who is leading in the polls, became the main target of all his rivals’ attacks early in Thursday’s final debate of the election — a trend that carried over from Wednesday’s French language debate.

Poilievre repeatedly sought to draw a straight line from former prime minister Justin Trudeau and his policies to Carney, arguing he contributed to the “lost Liberal decade” by providing confidential advice to Trudeau on the economy.

“We need a change and you, sir, are not a change,” Poilievre said in one exchange.

At another point, Poilievre called on Carney to look into the camera and apologize to people who suffered from the “inflationary policies” that he purportedly advised Trudeau to implement.

Carney contended more than once that while Poilievre might wish he was running against Trudeau, he and the former prime minister are very different people.

“You spent years running against Justin Trudeau and the carbon tax,” Carney said. “They’re both gone, OK?”

Carney said he didn’t provide any of the advice that Poilievre accused him of giving to Trudeau, asked to be judged on his actions and pivoted to talk about his resume — citing his time as Bank of Canada governor during the 2008 global financial crisis and at the Bank of England afterward.

“Twice, I was a central bank governor, and in both cases … when I was responsible for inflation, inflation was less than two per cent,” he said. “When I was here, responsible for the Bank of Canada, inflation was less than two per cent, our dollar was at parity. That is the kind of success that I can deliver for this country coming on this crisis.”

Poilievre pointed to the large number of Trudeau-era ministers, MPs and advisers on Carney’s team.

“Are you prepared to elect the same Liberal MPs, the same Liberal ministers, the same Liberal staffers all over again for a fourth term? Mr. Carney, Justin Trudeau’s staffers are actually here with you at this debate in Montreal, writing the talking points that you are regurgitating into the microphone,” Poilievre added.

“Look, I do my own talking points, thank you very much,” Carney shot back.

The Liberal leader insisted throughout the debate that the biggest threat to affordability and the economy is the “Trump crisis.”

“We’ve got to get that right,” he said.

Early in the evening, Carney said the bilateral relationship with the U.S. has “fundamentally changed” because President Donald Trump is looking to restructure the global trading system.

“The starting point has to be one of strength. It has to show that we have control of our own economic destiny, has to have a clear plan here at home to build this economy, to diversify our trading partners with like-minded countries, and also has to have a position of strength in terms of our reaction to the U.S. unjustified tariffs,” Carney said.

But Poilievre claimed the Liberal government is hostile toward Canada’s energy sector and pipelines. He accused the Liberals of weakening the economy and vowed that a Conservative government would repeal “anti-energy laws, red tape and high taxes.”

He attacked Carney for not repealing Bill C-69, which overhauled how major national infrastructure projects are reviewed for environmental impacts.

Conservative candidates also quickly pounced on social media when Carney appeared to confuse Keystone with the Trans Mountain pipeline purchase during the debate.

The leaders of the NDP and Bloc Québécois, trailing badly in the polls, aggressively sought to assert themselves and land blows. The Green party was dropped from the debates for not running enough candidates.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh accused Carney of failing to defend Canadian jobs threatened by U.S. tariffs since becoming prime minister and said the Liberal government is pro-pipeline because it purchased Trans Mountain.

“I don’t know what Pierre is complaining about,” Singh said.

Singh spent a good portion of his time and energy attacking the Conservative leader, frequently talking over Poilievre.

He also made an appeal to voters early on, asking them not to “entrust all the power to Mr. Carney, who doesn’t have a track record of making life more affordable for people.” He pointed to the role his party played in bringing forward dental care and pharmacare programs in the last Parliament.

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said that while Carney claims to be different from Trudeau, he should prove that he’s better than him by disclosing his financial assets — an issue that has dogged Carney throughout the campaign.

“You have to prove something, and you have to reveal what you own in those companies if you want people to believe you,” Blanchet said.

Carney has refused to disclose his financial assets, leading opposition parties to accuse him of being in a potential conflict of interest through holdings from his former firm Brookfield Asset Management.

Carney has said he’s put his assets in a blind trust and is following all the ethics rules for public office holders, but has refused to say anything about what his assets were before they went into the trust.

Poilievre was forced to play defence over his tough-on-crime policies and his pledge to become the first prime minister ever to use the notwithstanding clause to suspend Charter rights to put multiple murderers away for life.

“I will use the constitutional powers that are created for this purpose to ensure that mass murderers stay in maximum security penitentiary for life. They will only come out in a box,” Poilievre said.

Carney countered that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms exists to “protect Canadians from people like us on the stage — politicians who may use their power to override fundamental rights.”

He said the question is “not where you start, but where will you stop?”

None of the leaders got a chance to field questions from journalists in the usual post-debate Q-and-A sessions. The debate commission that organized the event abruptly cancelled the scrums following a row with the right-wing activist media organization Rebel News.

The commission did not explain why it cancelled the question sessions. Its decision came after Wednesday’s debate — when right-wing media outlets dominated the post-debate scrums — and news that Rebel News had registered as an official third party in the federal election.

— Written by Kyle Duggan in Ottawa and Morgan Lowrie in Montreal

2) (Updated) Party leaders face off in English for second federal leaders’ debate

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Canadian Press Staff, April 17, 2025

The leaders of Canada’s four main political parties will square off for a second and final leaders’ debate tonight in Montreal, after an initial French-language faceoff on Wednesday.

Beginning at 7 p.m. EDT, Liberal Leader Mark Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and the Bloc Québécois’ Yves-François Blanchet will  meet onstage for a final time before the April 28 vote. 

On Wednesday the four traded barbs for two hours during the French language debate, sparring about pipelines, the economy and U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war.

Carney is leading in the polls and was the frequent target of attacks from his rivals on Wednesday.

Poilievre accused Carney throughout the evening of being just like his Liberal predecessor Justin Trudeau, and promised to reverse Liberal economic policies he said had halted resource development and weakened the country.

Carney noted several times that he’d only been prime minister for a month, and said that in that time he’d already reached an agreement with Canada’s premiers to work on developing a national energy corridor and removing trade barriers.

The leaders were challenged by moderator Patrice Roy on why they haven’t yet presented costed platforms and were asked how they would pay for tax cuts and other spending promises.

The English-language debate will be moderated by TVO’S Steve Paikin and will be focused on the themes of affordability, energy and climate, leading in a crisis, public safety and security, and tariffs and threats to Canada.

Political strategists said Carney would remain a target during Thursday’s debate after he emerged mostly unscathed from Wednesday’s event.

“The pressure is squarely on Pierre Poilievre because if he doesn’t have a knock-our punch (in the English debate), I don’t know what he’s left with,” said Jonathan Kalles, a consultant at McMillan Vantage and a former Quebec adviser to former Liberal prime minister Justin Trudeau.

The first debate took place without the Green Party’s Jonathan Pedneault, after the Leaders’ Debate Commission announced early Wednesday that it had rescinded the party’s invitation to participate in the two debates.

3) (Update) Green Party co-leader says removal from leaders’ debates is ‘undemocratic’

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Nick Murray and David Baxter, April 16, 2025

The stage will look different than originally planned Wednesday night, when Canada’s major party leaders square off in the first of two nationally televised debates.

Instead of five podiums on the stage, there will now only be four.

The Green Party had its invitation rescinded less than 12 hours before the debate is set to start, with the Leaders’ Debates Commission saying the party no longer met the criteria to be included.

Green Party co-leader Jonathan Pedneault called the “last minute decision” both “unfounded” and “undemocratic.”

The commission said the decision was made because the party made a strategic decision not to run candidates in every riding after initially telling the commission it would.

Speaking in Montreal, Pedneault said that decision comes seven days after the final candidate list was published by Elections Canada.

“Somehow they decided that what matters most here isn’t a fair debate, it’s a debate, the one that they’re trying to create, that protects the status quo, that keeps the powerful comfortable and silences the rest of us,” Pedneault said.

“This decision from the debate commission today does not protect democracy. It protects those who’ve already had their turn.”

He said his party received a letter from the commission around 7:20 a.m. EDT Wednesday. The decision was announced publicly by the commission just before 8 a.m. EDT.

The Green co-leader said he “fully expects” to be at the debate and for the commission to reverse its decision.

Pedneault did not take questions at the press conference but as he exited, reporters peppered him with questions including asking if he intended to fight the decision in court.

Speaking in French he said he is not excluding any options.

In order to participate in the debates, parties must meet two of three conditions: having one seat in the House of Commons at dissolution, holding at least four per cent national support in polls 28 days before the election, or have endorsed candidates in at least 90 per cent of ridings 28 days before the election.

Four weeks before election day the Greens were only polling at three per cent in national polls, but they did hold two seats when Parliament was dissolved, and submitted the names of 343 candidates they intended to nominate to run in every riding.

But when the official Elections Canada candidates’ list was released last week it included only 232 Green Party candidates.

The commission initially defended the decision to include the Greens after the official candidates list was released, but ultimately changed its mind on Wednesday.

Liberal Leader Mark Carney said it was a surprising move from the commission but ultimately they’re an independent body, while campaigning in Montreal Wednesday ahead of the debate. 

“I think what’s important is that the issues around climate change and the energy transition and nature and biodiversity are appropriately aired during the course of the debate. So, I’m sorry they’re not there,” Carney said.

Carney previously declined to take part in a televised debate proposed by French-language broadcaster TVA due to the Green Party not being invited to participate.

Jennifer Howard, NDP national campaign director, said that her party respects the decision of the commission.

“As an independent non-partisan body, it is their job to ensure all political parties follow the same criteria for inclusion in the debates. We reject any attempt to undermine or politicize their decision-making,” Howard said in a media statement.

The Conservatives have not yet responded to a request for comment.

The debates, coming less than two weeks before election day, are seen as a pivotal point in the campaign for leaders trying to put on a stamp on their case to voters.

The French debate is the first time Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre will meet face-to-face in a debate. Carney’s French-language skills, which he has admitted are still in progress, will be put to the test in the debate Wednesday while Poilievre will be looking for ways to improve his polling numbers, which have trailed the Liberals’ now for weeks.

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

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Blanchet are the only two leaders with previous federal debate experience, though Carney and Poilievre participated in debates during their respective parties’ leadership races.

“Carney has to do a decent job. He doesn’t have to win it, he doesn’t have to have all the great sound bites,” said Barry McLaughlin, who worked on former NDP leader Jack Layton’s federal debate team and coached former prime minister Kim Campbell for her leadership debate.

“But he’s got to be seen as reasonable and able to handle the debate in the French language. That’s really the bar of the next prime minister of Canada.”

Carney struggled at times during the French debate during the leadership race in February and was saved by opponent Chrystia Freeland when he tripped up while discussing Hamas.

But recent polls have suggested Carney’s Liberals have at least 40 per cent support in Quebec.

“Now that people have been exposed to (Carney’s) French, it’s been criticized a lot, but it has not really affected voters that much, at least their opinion,” said Daniel Béland, a political-science professor at McGill University.

“And I think that’s related to the fact that the focus of the campaign isn’t really about culture, language or Quebec, or even the federalism. It’s about who can stand up to (U.S. President) Donald Trump and who can fight for our economy. In that context, I don’t think that language is that relevant to many voters, including francophone voters.”

Both McLaughlin and Béland said that Poilievre’s goal should be to present a softer, more refined image to appeal to voters beyond his base.

“The thing that I think there’s a discomfort level is, what is he like as a person? What are his true motives? Is he somebody, proverbially, that you’d like to have a beer with?” McLaughlin said, noting he took the same approach with Layton in the 2011 debate before a historic win for the NDP.

“Right now it doesn’t look like he is that person. But the debate can be a really important impression-forming opportunity for him.”

And while the Conservatives have struggled to make gains in Quebec, Béland said Poilievre displayed some poise last weekend while appearing on the popular Quebec talk show Tout le monde en parle.

“Poilievre was not only the attack-dog opposition leader, but someone who can be just a bit chill, more relaxed, not so aggressive,” Béland said.

“But I don’t know if at this point it might be too little, too late in that sense to soften his image. But I still think he can score points.”

The debate originally was scheduled for 8 p.m. ET but was moved two hours earlier. Both the Bloc and the NDP had called for the start time to be changed because the Montreal Canadiens play the Carolina Hurricanes Wednesday night.

4) Poilievre promises justice reform using notwithstanding clause, Carney talks defence

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Canadian Press Staff, April 14, 2025

Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are both campaigning in Montreal today and making announcements about defence procurement and justice reform.

Poilievre is vowing to use the notwithstanding clause to implement some of his crime agenda — something no federal government has ever done.

He says that “to bring justice back to the criminal justice system,” the Conservatives would reverse a Supreme Court decision that found it was unconstitutional to sentence people to consecutive life sentences.

Carney’s Liberals are promising to overhaul defence procurement with modernized rules and a new defence procurement agency.

Carney is also pledging to help the Canadian defence industry grow and diversify its markets through international exports.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, campaigning in Toronto this morning, is promising to encourage provinces to fast-track accreditation for foreign-trained nurses and to tie health-care funding to improvements in nurse-to-patient ratios and working conditions.

5) John Olthuis takes aim at Conservative stronghold in bid for Barrie South–Innisfil seat

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Newsroom, April 18, 2025

With the federal election less than two weeks away, Liberal candidate John Olthuis is entering the political arena with a clear goal: to bring a fresh voice to a traditionally Conservative riding and advocate for real solutions to affordability and housing.

Olthuis, a longtime Barrie resident with a background in customer service and communications, says his decision to run in the deep-blue riding of Barrie South–Innisfil was driven by a desire to bring stronger local representation to Ottawa.

“The incumbent has been in for quite a long time, nine years,” Olthuis said in an interview. “It’s time for someone who can work with the leadership to move things forward for our region.”

That leadership, Olthuis believes, should come from former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor Mark Carney. Olthuis is confident in his ability to lead.

“He’s brilliant,” said Olthuis. “He leans in both directions a little bit — more centred — so we’re getting the best of both worlds. He’s exactly what we need to deal with economic issues and someone like Donald Trump.”

Olthuis pointed to Carney’s steady hand during the 2008 financial crisis — a time when even Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper praised his leadership — as proof of his ability to manage turbulent global relations and economic challenges.

Locally, Olthuis is prioritizing housing and affordability — issues that resonate deeply with families and individuals across the region, especially younger people struggling to enter the housing market.

“There’s a whole catalogue of beautiful, pre-engineered homes being proposed,” Olthuis explained. “If we can open up federal land and put affordable housing on it, developers can come in quickly. This would be wonderful for people like my own adult children who are trying to get into the market.”

On the campaign trail, Olthuis says he’s hearing concerns about affordability, crime, and the cost of living — common themes nationwide, but with local nuances. He believes part of the solution lies in returning to practical, collaborative politics.

“You can say a lot of things in the House,” he said. “But the idea is to come together — Conservatives, Liberals, NDP, Greens — and bring forward good ideas. Shouting and hammering on tables isn’t how we get things done. Canadians are turned off by that.”

Olthuis is well aware of the uphill battle he faces in a riding long dominated by Conservative MP John Brassard, but he’s banking on a shift in voter priorities and the draw of pragmatic leadership.

“I’m an excellent listener and a problem solver,” he said. “This community deserves someone full-time, someone who’s ready to fight for what matters — from housing to the economy to our place on the world stage.”

Whether voters in Barrie South–Innisfil are ready for a change remains to be seen, but Olthuis is betting that his message will resonate beyond party lines.

6) Michael Speers brings bold message of “peace and prosperity” to Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte Race

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Newsroom, April 18, 2025

Communist Party of Canada photo

Michael Speers isn’t running your average election campaign. As the Communist Party of Canada candidate in Barrie—Springwater—Oro-Medonte, he’s offering voters something he says the major parties have long abandoned: a movement rooted in working-class values and transformative change.

Speers, a former supporter of more mainstream political parties, said he grew disillusioned with the endless chase for power. “Winning was the number one goal, and actually putting forward policies that would improve people’s lives was secondary at best,” he said. “I wanted to join a party that I firmly believed in, that I saw were promoting policies and ideas that would benefit people and improve their material conditions now.”

At a time when affordability, housing, and healthcare dominate local concerns, Speers’ message is blunt: the current system isn’t working—and it’s time for a real alternative.

A Platform Built Around People

Speers is pushing a platform he says puts everyday people first, under the party’s “Peace and Prosperity, Not War and Austerity” banner. His proposals include:

• Nationalizing key sectors like steel and auto manufacturing to protect jobs and counter effects of global market volatility.
• Creating a “Made-in-Canada” electric vehicle to spur domestic innovation and provide affordable options for consumers.
• Improving Employment Insurance to cover 90% of a worker’s wages after layoffs.
• Implementing price controls on essentials like food, fuel, and rent.
• Raising the minimum wage to $25 per hour.
• Building two million public housing units, with rent capped at 20% of a person’s income.
• Expanding public healthcare to include universal pharmacare, dental care, and robust long-term care programs.

“We are strong believers that housing is a human right,” he said. “Not only will [affordable housing] provide a home for people, but it will also create jobs that people need.”

Fighting for More Than Votes

Speers says he’s not interested in election-time promises that get shelved after the votes are counted. “You’re going to see us fighting for working people and policies that will benefit them between elections as well,” he said.

While he knows the word “communist” may raise eyebrows, he urges voters to look beyond the label. “At the heart of it, the Communist Party is the party for the working class,” he said. “We have no other interests except the interests of working people and their families.”

He also acknowledges the challenges of building cross-party consensus in Parliament, but says the Communist Party is open to collaboration—if the ideas on the table serve everyday Canadians. “We don’t just dictate what we think should be done. We listen. We talk to workers. We talk to families.”

A Vote to Challenge the Status Quo

Speers is asking voters to consider stepping outside the traditional party lines. “We’re asking people to rethink the idea of picking the least-worst choice,” he said. “A vote for the Communist Party sends a message that the status quo isn’t good enough.”

If elected, he promises to be an MP who doesn’t shy away from challenging the establishment. “We all know that through successive Liberal and Conservative governments, what have working people got? Houses they can’t afford. Food prices they can’t afford. I don’t think that’s what people in this riding want.”

Learn More

Voters interested in learning more about Speers or the Communist Party of Canada can visit votecommunist.com to read the full platform and find out