On Sunday, Mark Carney and Pierre Poilievre both delivered near 30-minute speeches to their enthusiastic supporters, but they were remarkably different in content, presentation and passion.
Carney, just elected as the new Liberal leader, appeared flat and dull as he delivered a victory speech that was high on patriotism but short on actual policies. Clearly, Carney is more at ease in front of the global elite, but he will need to become a more practiced politician if he hopes to connect with people.
Poilievre, on the other hand, had an audience in London, O.N., eating out of his hand with an impassioned speech that was also high on patriotism, but contained precise details about how a Conservative government would build homes, axe taxes, defend the northern border, create investment, cut crime and build pipelines.
To date, Carney has mostly ignored the press and questions about his actual platform. He was more focused on winning the Liberal vote, which involved taking part in what was essentially a popularity contest rather than a political one.
Carney, to an audience in Ottawa, began by talking about fostering unity and how he would be guided by tolerance and humility before lashing out at the opposition leader as a man who would kneel before Donald Trump, destroy the Canadian economy and “let our planet burn.”
“Pierre Poilievre’s plan would leave us divided and ready to be conquered,” said Carney, envisaging a dystopian nightmare under the Conservatives, who he believes would allow the enemy at the gates to invade.
So much for unity, humility and tolerance.
Carney would have done better in his first major speech to have been less bombastic and belligerent and more conciliatory and cautious. When Carney talks of unity and then speaks divisively he is not just being a hypocrite, he is echoing the man who preceded him — and look at how that turned out.
In his speech, Carney said that Canada would need to undergo big changes at a fast speed. He said what was needed was a plan for Canada to become an energy superpower, a plan to put more money into people’s pockets, a plan to build millions more homes, a plan for trade corridors with other countries.
But as to what that plan involves, Carney didn’t say. No actual policies, no real details, no concrete proposals. He did say he planned to axe the proposed increase in the capital gains tax and that he would cut the carbon tax, but those were the only details.
And nobody really believes that he intends to axe the carbon tax without replacing it with something else. Carney has said as much talking about a “more effective climate plan,” but, once more, refusing to give details.
In London, Poilievre was in his element at a political rally where he joked with the audience and was clearly at ease working the crowd.
Like Carney, Poilievre spoke about the need to push back against the proposed tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump and for Canadians to work together.
But the big difference was in the policy details. Time and again, Poilievre laid out what a Conservative government planned to do and how they would achieve it.
Carney talked about “a plan beating no plan” and then failed to deliver even the smell of a plan. Meanwhile, Poilievre put forward a comprehensive schedule of actions.
Poilievre said a Conservative government would cut taxes for people and businesses; increase investment to improve productivity in line with the U.S.; reduce government bureaucracy which had ballooned by 50 per cent under the Trudeau government; axe the number of consultants used by the federal government; cut the GST on new homes resulting in a saving of $50,000 for people; work with the provinces to speed up new permits for homes and to free up land; repeal three Liberal laws that had led to an increase in crime, particularly by offenders on bail; ban hard drugs, stop safe supply and invest in a treatment and recovery program for drug addicts; repeal Liberal gun bans; build pipelines, LNG facilities and mines; stop sending foreign aid to “dictators and terrorists” and use it for veterans; build four new icebreakers and a new northern base in Iqaluit while also increasing the size of the Canadian Rangers to protect Arctic sovereignty.
“We will build this country up once again,” Poilievre said at the end of his speech to rousing cheers.
“We will end cancel culture that knocks down our statues and takes down our flags. We will once again be a strong, self reliant, sovereign nation that stands on its own two feet and stands up to Americans.
“We will ensure that everybody knows that we are the best country the world has ever seen.”
Carney ended his speech also in praise of Canada saying to get through the “dark days” we needed to unite.
“Together we will get through this crisis. We can and we will come out stronger than ever because Canada is built on the strength of its people,” he said to a standing ovation.
“When we come together we build things that last because we are Canada strong.”
Carney and Poilievre are obviously both patriots who believe in this country. But as Liberal leader and soon to be prime minister, Carney needs to stop with the platitudes and come up with a plan.
The Conservative leader has told the country what he intends to do. Carney is duty bound to do the same — and quickly.
National Post