The former Governor of the Bank of Canada, Mark Carney, was in Windsor on Wednesday campaigning in the leadership race for the Liberal Party of Canada.
Carney held a news conference at the foot of the Gordie Howe International Bridge on the city’s west end.
Although he didn’t make any new policy announcements, Carney hinted at a middle-class tax break, a new kind of federal budgetary procedure, and pledged to maintain the dental plan implemented by the Trudeau government.
The majority of his speech and questions from the media, however, focused on the looming threat of a tariff war with the U.S.
“The Government of Canada has extraordinary powers at its disposal today to respond to a national crisis, and Donald Trump’s aggression against Canadian livelihoods and workers constitute just such a crisis,” Carney said.
He believes the crisis should be used as a motivator for Canada to find new economic trading partners.
“We should become the essential trading partners of countries that share our values, including the U.K., the E.U. and leaders in Asia,” Carney said.
“We can do so through our leadership in clean energy and critical minerals, and in the intelligence infrastructure of the AI (artificial intelligence) revolution.”
The Liberal Party of Canada will vote for a new leader on March 9.
Running against Carney is Frank Baylis, Ruby Dhalla, Chrystia Freeland, and Karina Gould.
