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• BBC World
• Thu Apr 17 2025

Canada party leaders grilled in election debate on how to tackle Trump

Wednesday's French-language debate is the first of two ahead of Canada's election on 28 April

There is a second debate in English on Thursday, before Canadians vote on 28 April.

It was also a big test for Liberal leader Mark Carney, who has a slight lead in the polls, but whose French is the weakest among the federal leaders. He at times struggled to articulate his points on stage.

The French-language face-off marked a key moment in the election as it gave leaders a chance to woo voters in the seat-rich province of Quebec.

The leaders of Canada's four major federal parties have been grilled about their response to US President Donald Trump and clashed over energy and housing in their first televised debate of the country's election campaign.

On the stage were the four main party candidates: Liberal leader and current Prime Minister Carney, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Qu?b?cois leader Yves-Fran?ois Blanchet, and leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Jagmeet Singh.

The debate was moderated by Radio-Canada journalist Patrice Roy.

Mr Roy opened the forum saying that Canada's short 36-day federal election had been "hijacked by Trump", and asked each leader to outline two campaign promises unrelated to the US or its tariffs.

But soon afterwards, Mr Roy plunged into a question on how each party would handle the trade war with the US, calling it the "elephant in the room".

Trump has implemented blanket 25% tariffs on goods from Canada, with an exemption on products covered by the USMCA - a North American free trade deal. Canada is also hit with global US tariffs on steel and aluminium and cars.

The president has also publicly mused about Canada becoming the 51st US state.

Poilievre, of the opposition Conservatives, accused the governing Liberals of weakening the country over the past decade, making Canada more vulnerable to economic threats.

Carney touted his experience as a former central banker for both Canada and the UK, as well as his time in the private sector.

"[Trump] respects people who understand the world and how the private sector works," Carney said.

Singh, of the left-leaning NDP, sought to paint both Poilievre and Carney as the wrong option for Canadians whose jobs may be affected by US tariffs.

"Both will cut taxes for millionaires and billionaires," he said.

For Carney, the French-language debate was arguably the first major test of the campaign trail.

A second debate will be held on Thursday night with the contenders speaking in English.

That forum will be more widely watched nationwide, but the stakes were high on Wednesday for Carney's Liberals, which are leading in Quebec where the majority of French-speaking Canadians live.

His French was the weakest on stage, and he often kept his answers brief and sometimes struggled to get his points across in a debate format with opportunities for rapid exchanges.

He also faced the most frequent attacks as the others leaders tried to tie him to the Liberal record of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who resigned last month.

"We are still talking about the same party, the same caucus," the Bloc's Blanchet said.

He added: "It's not because you change the leader that you change your philosophy."

Carney countered that he had accomplishments despite only being sworn in as PM last month. He had "just arrived", he said.

There was a moment of levity when Mr Roy asked the leaders if they were buying fewer US products - like many Canadians are in the face of tariffs - at the grocery store.

Carney had admitted in an interview early this month that he does not do his own groceries when asked if he still buys US strawberries.

Singh and Blanchet both said they bought Canadian berries. Carney said he had given up US wine, while Poilievre said he buys Canadian beef.