Canada Leaders’ Debate Centers on Trump as Carney and Poilievre Clash Ahead of Election

As Canada heads toward a pivotal election, the looming presence of Donald Trump dominated the first French-language debate, with Prime Minister Mark Carney framing the race as a test of who can best face the former US president.

Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative opposition leader Pierre Poilievre clashed in their first head-to-head confrontation during Canada’s French-language leaders’ debate on Wednesday. But the name on everyone’s mind wasn’t Trudeau—it was Trump.

Carney, who succeeded Justin Trudeau as Liberal Party leader and Prime Minister in March, centered his argument on the growing influence of Donald Trump. “In this election, the question is who is going to face Mr. Trump,” Carney stated, emphasizing his readiness to handle the cross-border challenge.

Poilievre, who has framed his campaign around ending what he calls a decade of Liberal mismanagement, dismissed Carney as a continuation of Trudeau-era politics. “Canada needs change,” he said, accusing Carney of being more of the same under a different name. In response, Carney shot back, “Mr. Poilievre is not Justin Trudeau. I’m not Justin Trudeau either.”

The debate, held in Montreal—a political stronghold with 78 of the 343 House of Commons seats—comes amid growing Canadian nationalism fueled by Trump’s aggressive rhetoric. The former US president has reignited tensions with Canada, suggesting trade wars and even joking about making Canada the 51st US state, further boosting support for the Liberals.

Yves-François Blanchet, leader of the separatist Bloc Québécois, echoed Poilievre’s criticism of the Liberals but is currently losing ground to Carney in Quebec, a province crucial to electoral victory.

Despite earlier polls showing the Conservatives leading significantly, recent data from Nanos suggests a dramatic reversal. In January, the Conservatives had a commanding 47% to 20% lead. As of Wednesday’s latest poll, the Liberals now lead by eight percentage points, a notable shift just ahead of the April 28 vote.

Carney, a former central banker with a focus on fiscal policy, emphasized his economic credentials in contrast to his predecessor. “One of the differences between [Trudeau] and me is that I put much more emphasis on the economy, on growing the economy,” he said at a post-debate press conference.

The debate itself was rescheduled two hours earlier to avoid clashing with a high-stakes NHL game featuring the Montreal Canadiens. The move recalled a similar instance in 2011 when a political debate was rescheduled to accommodate the hockey team’s playoff schedule.

An English-language leaders’ debate is set to take place on Thursday evening, potentially offering further insights into how the leaders plan to handle US-Canada relations and domestic issues in a rapidly shifting political landscape.

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