VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — The four candidates vying to become the next leader of Canada’s Liberal party made the case during a debate Tuesday night why they are best suited to deal with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Former central banker Mark Carney, former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, former government House leader Karina Gould and former Montreal-area Member of Parliament Frank Baylis all agreed Trump’s tariff threats pose a danger to Canada’s sovereignty.
Carney, who is considered the frontrunner to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said his experience dealing with financial crises as the former governor of both the Bank of Canada and Bank of England gives him an advantage.
“During a crisis it’s important to distinguish what you can’t control, what you can control,” he said. “We cannot change Donald Trump, but we can control our economic destiny.”
Carney said he would gather the Canadian premiers together and fight back with dollar-for-dollar tariffs against the U.S. that would have a minimal impact on Canada.
Freeland said she was part of the Canadian team that negotiated the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal during Trump’s first administration.
“I have the experience, the plan and the guts to stand up to Trump, to tell him that Canada is not for sale,” she said. “If he hits us, we’ll hit back.”
Freeland also favors retaliatory tariffs. She would target Florida orange juice and the Wisconsin dairy industry and would put a 100% tariff on Tesla vehicles coming into Canada.
Trump said Monday his executive order to implement 25% tariffs on all Canadian imports, with a lower 10% levy on energy, would go ahead March 4.
Trump also has irritated Canadians by saying Canada should become the 51st state.
Baylis, a Montreal businessman, said he would meet with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and devise a unified strategy to deal with Trump.
“We’re not going to let him take our jobs away and we’re going to be putting into place very intelligent counter tariffs,” he said.
Gould said she would spearhead a “Team Canada” approach in the U.S. to contact both business leaders and citizens.
“It is American citizens who are going to feel the impact of these tariffs and we need to let them know that is not Canada’s decision,” she said.
Gould would encourage Canadians to stop traveling to Florida and also to stop buying Florida orange juice.
Freeland’s surprise resignation in December prompted Trudeau to announce Jan. 6 he was stepping down as party leader and prime minister. The Liberals chose a new leader on March 9.
The next Liberal leader could be the shortest-tenured prime minister in the country’s history. All three opposition parties have vowed to bring down the Liberals’ minority government in a no-confidence vote after parliament resumes on March 24.
A fifth Liberal leadership candidate was disqualified from the race. The party said former MP Ruby Dhalla was removed because she violated multiple rules.
During the debate, the candidates also discussed topics such as improving Canada’s health care system, affordability and improving the country’s military.
A French language debate was also held Monday night in Montreal.
