With his federal election campaign about to enter its final week, Liberal Leader Mark Carney held a rally in Nepean on Sunday to galvanize supporters and encourage people to vote.
Thousands of people attended the rally at the Lusitania Portuguese Club of Ottawa, many wearing Liberal party merchandise and holding signs in support of Carney and their local Liberal candidates.
Carney reiterated promises to remove interprovincial trade barriers by Canada Day if he wins the election and to make investments into new trade corridors to diversify trade away from the United States to “reliable trading partners.”
He also said Canada will fight back with tariffs that will cause “maximum damage” to the U.S. while protecting Canadian workers by investing in Canadian technology, Canadian skilled labour and Canadian goods.
This comes after U.S. President Donald Trump implemented a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian energy and 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports in March. Canada responded by imposing 25 per cent tariffs on $30 billion in goods from the U.S. such as spirits and clothing, among others.
“This is the most consequential vote of our lifetimes because President Trump has ignited a trade war that has ruptured the global economy and changed forever our relationship with the United States,” Carney said at Sunday’s rally as supporters booed in response to Trump’s tariffs.
“That old relationship is over, unfortunately. … It is a tragedy, but it’s the new reality, and we’re responding.”
He also called Trump’s tariffs and threats to annex Canada a betrayal.
“We need that strong mandate. Let’s face it, President Trump is trying to break us so that America can own us. That will never happen. … We’ll stop that from happening. We’ve got reinforcements from across the country. Elbows up,” Carney said.
“I think we are over the shock of the betrayal. … But we should never forget the lessons. We have to look out for ourselves and we have to take care of each other. We didn’t ask for this fight.”
Carney also took shots at Conservative party Leader Pierre Poilievre, calling him a politician who isn’t ready to deal with Trump.
“In a crisis, a plan provides direction when there’s a fog of uncertainty. It brings the team together. It drives action. When we’re in a situation like this, and I can tell you from experience, you need an overwhelming force,” he said.
“You need the government to step up and lead when the private sector is retreating under anxiety and uncertainty, and that’s what our plan to make Canada strong will do.”
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