Candidates Vying to Replace Trudeau in Canada Turn Their Attention to Trump

The top contenders looking to replace Justin Trudeau as Canadian Prime Minister spent a lot of time during a televised debate on Monday talking about how they would stand up to President Donald Trump.
With the next election set for October 20 this year , the Conservative opposition party, after nine years of Liberal rule, was once on track for an easy victory. However, the race has tightened significantly due to President Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on all imports from Canada.
“Trump is the biggest threat Canada has faced since World War II,” said Chrystia Freeland, the former finance minister, during a two-hour French-language debate between the candidates. Freeland, who negotiated the U.S.-Canada-Mexico trade deal under Trump’s first administration, argued that Trump had previously vowed to wage economic war on Canada.
“This time, however, it’s worse – he wants to turn Canada into the 51st state,” Freeland added. Canada exports 75% of its goods and services to the U.S. and would suffer a major recession if tariffs were imposed.
Mark Carney, the ex-central banker and polling front-runner, fired back, saying Trump would never succeed in his attempts to absorb Canada into the United States. “Right now, Canada is facing the greatest crisis in our history… and I know how to handle crises,” Carney said, recalling his leadership during the 2008 financial crash and later, the Brexit vote.
Both Carney and Freeland agree that Canada must strongly respond to any tariffs Trump threatens.
Freeland’s resignation from cabinet last December caused a political shake-up that ultimately forced Trudeau to announce he would step down last month. The new leader will be named on March 9.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives, who argue there is no real difference between Trudeau and the two main leadership contenders, blasted Carney in a statement titled, “Sneaky Carney Must Come Clean With Canadians.”
The remaining two candidates are former cabinet minister Karina Gould and retired Liberal legislator Frank Baylis. The four will face off in an English-language debate on Tuesday.