Liberal Leader Mark Carney declined to elaborate on his conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump, a day after a key omission came to light.
Carney confirmed Thursday, following a report from Radio-Canada, that Trump had raised the idea of Canada becoming the 51st state when the two men spoke on March 28.
Carney had previously said that Trump respected Canada’s sovereignty during the call, but news of the omission this week raised questions about the actual substance of the conversation, especially since Carney has staked his campaign on being the best person to navigate Trump’s threats.
At a campaign stop in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. Friday, a reporter asked Carney to reveal exactly what was said when Trump pressed his 51st state idea.
“It’s not right to provide all the details of such a conversation,” Carney said in French.
“In my opinion, what is important is to talk about the result, and the result was respect for Canada as a sovereign country, and second, an agreement to engage in comprehensive negotiations regarding our trading and security relationship, and negotiations that would begin right after the election.”
Carney used his stop at a steel plant, on his last weekday of the campaign, to reiterate that “we’re living through the biggest crisis of our lifetime” and that he is the person with the right resume to guide Canada through uncertain times.
“The president’s latest comments are more proof, as if we needed any, that the old relationship with the United States that we’ve had is over, and it’s proof and it’s a reminder, it’s a call to action that we need to chart a new path,” Carney said, touting his plan to protect workers and diversify trading partners.
He also took aim at his chief rival, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and said he has “no plan” to stand up to Trump.
“Unlike Pierre Poilievre, I’ve managed budgets before. I’ve managed economies before. I’ve managed crises before. This is a time for experience, not experiments,” Carney said.
Meanwhile, at a campaign stop in Saskatoon Thursday night, Poilievre accused Carney of telling a “whopper” when he said that Trump had respected Canada’s sovereignty in their call, and said he did so to try and distract from the Liberals’ failings.
“Is there a firefighter in the house? There’s an emergency - Mark Carney’s pants are on fire again,” he told the audience.
At a campaign stop Friday, he reiterated that message.
“Yesterday, Mark Carney was caught lying. If he’s lying about that, you can be sure he’s lying about inflation, lying about Liberal tax increases, lying about the Liberal housing crisis,” Poilievre said, adding later that “we cannot trust anything he says.”
In his stop on Friday, one of his final addresses begore election day, Carney implored those who have supported other parties in the past to vote for him.
“This Monday, Canadians will choose who stands up for them as their prime minister and I’m asking for your vote for positive reasons. Regardless of which party you voted for in the past, I’m asking for your vote to stand up to Donald Trump, to build a united Canada, to build Canada strong.”
The Liberal leader shrugged off questions about what he might do if he wins, particularly whether he’d work with the Bloc Quebecois in a minority situation and whether he would hold a referendum on Quebec separatism in the context of the trade war.
Carney called the matters “pure speculation” and said the country needs to deal with the “real crisis” of the trade war with the U.S. at the moment.
When it comes to electoral reform, Carney said he’s open to it, but “this is not the time to be engaging in that process.”
With files from Judy Trinh and Bryann Aguilar
