EYE ON POLITICS
A debate worth watching
by Kerry Turner
The federal campaigns of the party leaders may be in full swing ahead of April 28th’s election day, but voters are still polarized on the direction Canada will go after more than nine years under Liberal leadership.
As of April 18th 2024, the Liberals continue to lead in the polls, but many voters are reporting that they are still undecided in the direction their ballot will go. However, that hasn’t taken away from the strong early turnout at polling stations – with record numbers coming out for the advanced polls and lines in Barrhaven reportedly taking up to two hours to reach the ballot box.
The importance of this election cannot be understated, as the direction of Canadian governance comes at a critical point in international relations. Held in both English and French on the 16th and 17th of April respectively, the Conservatives, Bloc Quebecois, Liberals and NDP leaders faced off on issues deemed most important to the Canadian voters in a debate moderated by journalist, Steve Paikin.
No debate is without its political grandstanding, with each Leader taking the opportunity to take jabs at their opponents. Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh were particularly critical of Prime Minister Mark Carney, circling in on his foreign investments and apparent similarities to former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau." I am a very different person than Justin Trudeau," Carney retaliated. At times, Carney appeared to criticize his predecessor's governance, saying that a Liberal party under his leadership will be more focused on delivering results to Canadians. Poilievre criticized many of Carney’s responses around the Liberal action – or perceived non action – of the last nine years, while Singh and his NDP platform appeared disorganized, perhaps only standing out for how often he interrupted his opponents. At one point, Carney intervened to admonish Singh to let Poilievre finish his sentence.
The topic of affordability and housing left more questions than answers in terms of application, with each party pledging to do more to help Canadians buy affordable homes. Singh criticized Poilievre for his lack of housing output while working as housing minister under Stephen Harper, while also promising to look at price caps on certain groceries, a method that has been successful in places like France for reducing grocery costs. Poilievre promised to axe the GST on new home purchases under $1.3 million. “More homebuilding, more money. Less homebuilding, less money. It will be a highly predictable mathematical formula," Poilievre said. Carney also vowed to cut the GST on homes under $1 million and “reduce the marginal tax rate on the lowest tax bracket by 1 percentage point”, a promise he says will come into effect on Canada Day 2025.
In perhaps a surprising move following the debate, Poilievre promised during a campaign stop in Montreal to reinstate single use plastics, which would see things like the plastic straw, disposable grocery bags and ring carriers brought back into public circulation. The Liberal Party banned single use plastics in 2022 in a bid to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030. The plastics ban was overturned by the Federal Court in 2023, whose ruling said “listing plastic items as toxic was unreasonable and unconstitutional”. The Liberal Party is currently in the appeals process, with the plastics ban remaining in place in the interim. Poilievre claims businesses should be able to determine for themselves sourcing options that work best for them, with the ban only accounting for less than 3% of plastic waste.
Following US President Donald Trump’s self proclaimed “Liberation Day” which announced a slew of 10 percent tariffs on various nations, the US stock market took a severe hit, with economists across the world warning of the fall out of tariffs leading to a possible global recession. Trump quickly walked back his announced reciprocal tariffs on all countries with the exception of China, which he alluded was his plan all along. The cancellation did not come before a post to Truth Social, urging that “now is the time to buy!” China currently faces tariffs upwards of 145%, which essentially grinded trade to a halt. Chinese commerce ministry spokesperson He Yongqian cited a proverb, saying, “The person who tied the bell must be the one to untie it,” hinting that the US should be responsible in calling a ceasefire in the trade war.
While Trump claims that many countries are reaching out to renegotiate trade deals with success, many economists warn the damage might already be done. Top economist Krugman, a winner of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, said in a Substack post that tariffs threaten global faith in America. "And even if some of the tariffs prove temporary, the Rubicon has been crossed," he wrote. "We now know that when the United States signs an agreement, on trade or anything else, the president will treat that agreement as a mere suggestion to be ignored whenever he feels like it. That revelation in itself will do huge long-term damage."
It is important to note, tariffs for Canadian exports on non CUSMA sanctioned goods, fully built automotives, steel and aluminum remain in place. How the newly elected prime minister following election day will handle Trump continues to dominate debates, speeches and campaign stops. In response to the Tariffs during the federal debate, Carney touted his counter-tariffs as action, while Poilievre promised his government “would cut taxes and red tape and approve new projects to bolster Canada's economy”.
The Canadian response to the American government continues to see a strong push for “buying Canadian” and keeping our money right here at home. California, seemingly noticing the impact of a lower Canadian tourist season, launched an advertising campaign aimed to bring Canadians back. California governor Gavin Newsom appears in the advertisements, attempting to appeal to Canadian tourists, “The Golden State and Canada have always shared so much in common,” Newsom says, while American and Canadian flags appear in the background. “Sure, you know who’s trying to stir things up back in D.C., but don’t let that ruin your beach plans”. The burgeoning ‘Buy Canadian’ movement brought on by trade tensions with the U.S. could have a “meaningful” impact on the Canadian economy, a new report from Bank of Montreal says, adding around $10 billion annually.
“Maple Scan” is among one of the new popular apps available for download where buyers can scan the barcodes of products on the grocery store shelves to see a breakdown of how much and where the products are made. Products are also popping up with clearly distinguished variations of “Made in Canada” logos. At the buyer level, parents are also sourcing products for their children that are Canada made. The diapers market for instance, is primarily dominated by US manufacturers. Irving Personal Care, the headquarters for Royale, who distribute the only brand of Canadian made diapers, said retailers from all over Canada have been reaching out to discuss increasing distribution. “As the only branded baby diaper made in Canada, our weekly shipments have quadrupled,” Jason McAllister, Irving Personal Care’s vice president of business operations. Local parents indicate though for certain items – quality comes first.
How internal trade barriers are mitigated to allow for easier trade interprovincially will remain a focal point for voters long after the voting stations have closed as Canadians gear up to choose the best person for the job. During the debate, all candidates agreed on one thing: Canada must unite and stand strong – together – in the face of crisis.