The Liberal leadership candidate is facing scrutiny for saying one thing in English and something different in French
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OTTAWA – Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney’s campaign said it needs to “tighten up” his message after he said in English that he would use federal emergency powers to push major energy projects through traditional roadblocks if he were prime minister, but then told Quebecers in French that he would not impose any such projects on the province against its will.
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His campaign is also walking back comments Carney made in French about cutting federal social transfers. Earlier this month, he said he would focus on reducing “operational deficits” by cutting transfers to provinces and individuals. Then on Monday, in French again, he told a different interviewer he would never do such a thing.
Mark Carney has been clear that he wants to “build baby, build,” as he said in a speech in Kelowna, B.C. last week. He has said he wants to build housing, build a “trade corridor” with provinces and allies around the world, build clean energy projects, and yes, build energy infrastructure. He has said, in English, that he will let nothing stand in his way of building what the country needs.
“Something that my government will do is use all of the powers of the federal government, including the emergency powers of the federal government to accelerate the major projects that we need in order to build this economy and take on the Americans,” Carney said in his speech.
He told the CBC this weekend that if he were prime minister his government would specifically accelerate approvals for pipelines, after years of the federal Liberal government cancelling or blocking several pipeline proposals. “We as a nation need to build some new pipelines for conventional energy,” Carney said. He said he would do so “in consultation with provinces, with First Nations.”
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And on Monday, he was more explicit: In a Radio-Canada interview, journalist Patrice Roy asked Carney if he was going to “impose a pipeline” on Quebec.
“I would never impose. Never,” he said.
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He then said his government would use emergency powers at its disposal to accelerate projects that are in the “national interest” only with the support of the provinces and First Nations.
“I would never impose (a pipeline) on Quebec,” he said.
TC Energy’s Energy East pipeline proposal that would have shipped Alberta oil to New Brunswick was cancelled in 2017 the face of added federal regulatory hurdles and fierce opposition from Quebec politicians.
The apparent switch did not go unnoticed in Quebec and Ottawa, particularly among the Conservatives.
“Sneaky Carney said in English in B.C. that he would use federal emergency powers to force provinces to accept big projects. In French, he said he would not impose projects on reluctant provinces. Sneaky. Sneaky,” said Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
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“Mark Carney talks out of both sides of his mouth,” added Conservative Quebec lieutenant Pierre Paul-Hus.
Carney’s spokesperson insisted there was no disconnect in the two messages, but acknowledged that Carney could have been clearer before giving the French interview. She said Carney has been briefed on “Quebec’s particularities.”
What Carney actually meant to say in English was that he would consult with the provinces to try to get things built.
“Look, we need to tighten up the message a little bit. But I want to be clear, Mr. Carney is not saying one thing to Quebec and another to the rest of Canada,” Audrey Champoux told the National Post.
In French, too, Carney has apparently meant to say one thing, and ended up saying something quite different.
In his first French-language interview in Quebec in early February, Carney told TVA: “We need to reduce operational deficits. This means, transfers to individuals, transfers to provinces … and all that,” he said.
But on Monday, in his Radio-Canada interview, he contradicted that. When Roy asked Carney if he was planning as prime minister to cut transfers, Carney said the opposite.
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“The deficit is $60 billion. My question is: will you cut transfers to the provinces?,” asked Roy.
Carney said “no.”
“You do not cut transfers to individuals?” asked Roy.
“No,” said Carney.
His campaign team acknowledged that he should have been clearer on that point the first time around. Champoux added that the candidate had been asked to “refine his thinking” on transfers.
The Liberals will elect their new leader on March 9. Candidates include Carney, Chrystia Freeland, Karina Gould, Frank Baylis and Ruby Dhalla.
National Post
atrepanier@postmedia.com
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