The leading candidates vying to replace Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau clashed over how to respond to U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade threats in a televised debate Monday, as the race tightens ahead of the October 20 election.
Once seen as an easy win for the opposition Conservatives, the contest to lead Canada has become more competitive following Trump’s pledge to impose tariffs on all Canadian imports, a move that could trigger economic turmoil.
"Trump represents the biggest threat to Canada since World War Two," former finance minister Chrystia Freeland said during the French-language debate between the four Liberal candidates.
Freeland, who helped negotiate the U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade agreement under Trump’s first administration, warned that the president previously sought to wage economic war against Canada but that his current threats were even more severe.
"This time, Trump’s threats are worse—he wants to make Canada the 51st state," she said. Canada sends 75% of its exports to the U.S. and could fall into a recession if trade barriers are enforced.
Mark Carney, a former central banker and the current front-runner, dismissed the idea that Trump could succeed in pressuring Canada.
"At this moment, Canada is facing the worst crisis of our lives... I know how to handle crises," he said, pointing to his experience leading the Bank of Canada during the 2008 financial crisis and later the Bank of England during Brexit.
Both Carney and Freeland said Canada must respond forcefully if Trump follows through on his tariff threats.
Freeland’s resignation in December after nine years in cabinet triggered a political crisis that ultimately led to Trudeau announcing his resignation last month. The new Liberal leader will be chosen on March 9.
The Conservatives, seeking to capitalize on Trudeau’s unpopularity, dismissed the debate as a contest between interchangeable candidates. In a statement titled "Sneaky Carney Must Come Clean With Canadians," they claimed there was no difference between Trudeau and the leading contenders.
The remaining candidates, former cabinet minister Karina Gould and retired legislator Frank Baylis, will join Carney and Freeland for an English-language debate on Tuesday, as the campaign battle intensifies.
U.S. President Donald Trump has again said Iran is keen to reach a deal quickly, but a senior Iranian security official rejected the claim, saying ...
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A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign ...
Maritime trackers received new reports of an attack on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), adding to concerns about energy supplies after Saudi Arabia shut down a vital oil pipeline on Saturday.
U.S. Central Command said 101 commercial vessels have been redirected in the Strait of Hormuz, while oil prices rose more than three per cent amid fresh regional attacks and supply concerns.
U.S. President Donald Trump has again said Iran is keen to reach a deal quickly, but a senior Iranian security official rejected the claim, saying Tehran will not negotiate until its conditions are met.
A Russian strike on a farm warehouse in Pryluky, north-central Ukraine, has killed at least three people, local police said. Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said an attack on a train near the Polish border was an attempt to intimidate Ukraine's allies.
A Danish military helicopter came within “metres” of being struck by flares fired by a Russian warship, Denmark's Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said on Tuesday. Russia accused Denmark of carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” near its ship, and said it was investigating the incident.
A Danish military helicopter came within “metres” of being struck by flares fired by a Russian warship, Denmark's Defence Minister Jeppe Bruus said on Tuesday. Russia accused Denmark of carrying out “dangerous manoeuvres” near its ship, and said it was investigating the incident.
McDonald's and Chinese food-delivery giant Meituan have launched China's first drone-delivery route dedicated to a single catering brand, bringing the technology to Shanghai's popular West Bund riverfront.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced plans to scrap Biden-era carbon emission limits on coal- and gas-fired power plants, marking a major reversal in U.S. climate policy.
University students in Mexico have held a vigil for a 21-year-old Spanish exchange student killed in the central state of Morelos, with authorities investigating her death as a possible feminicide.
Every day since a torrent of mud and rocks destroyed a Nepal-China border crossing high up in the Himalayas last month, Arushi Gupta's parents have called and messaged their missing daughter hoping she somehow survived.
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