Federal Liberal Mark Carney used his first stop in B.C. to evoke British war-time leader Winston Churchill.
"We are living through a hinge moment," Carney said in using a metaphor used by Churchill during the early stages of the Second World War. "We are living through a hinge moment and we are not coming together, unfortunately, with our American allies. It's a hinge moment caused by our American ally, but we are coming together as Canadians."
Carney's message was delivered to an audience of more than 300 at Victoria's Edelweiss Centre during a 10-minute-speech on Sunday (April 6). Another 150 people or so waited outside the building with the hope to catch a glimpse of Carney after the speech.
His stop in Victoria comes on the eve of his first-to-first meeting with B.C. Premier David Eby with the two leaders scheduled to meet Monday morning at the provincial legislature. Carney's stop in Victoria also comes on the two-week anniversary of this year's federal election campaign.
The election campaign is unfolding against ongoing attempts by U.S. President Donald Trump to revise the global trading order through tariffs. These efforts reached another level Wednesday (April 2) when Trump imposed reciprocal tariffs of least 10 per against most, but not all countries.
While Trump spared Canada and Mexico from such tariffs, existing American tariffs on Canadian-made automobiles, automobile parts, steel and aluminum remain in place and have since triggered retaliatory tariffs from Canada.
"Our old relationship with the United States is over," he said.
Sunday's evening featured the who-is-who of federal Liberals on Vancouver Island, including former federal minister David Anderson. He held several ministerial portfolios and was the most powerful B.C. voice during the Chretien years through the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Carney's speech included promises to create a genuine Canadian economy in breaking down interprovincial barriers and build up new trading relationships abroad; build up "millions and millions" of new homes as part of the "most ambitious" housing plan since the Second World War; and turn Canada into a clean energy super-power.
Carney also injected a couple moments of humour in his speech.
"We are fighting the Americans in the pocketbook," he said in pointing to retaliatory tariffs. "We are fighting them on Fox News...we are sending (Ontario Premier) Doug Ford on Fox News," he said, drawing applause. "We are going to send (Alberta Premier) Danielle (Smith) next."
Smith has not always agreed with Ottawa's approach to fighting the tariffs.
Carney's only B.C.-specific reference during his speech involved softwood lumber, an industry that could eventually be subject to various tariffs and duties approaching 50 per cent or higher. Carney pointed to the significance of the industry in B.C., noting it accounts for two per cent Canada's gross domestic product.
It is being attacked again by the United States, Carney said. "Our response is to fight and protect and to build," he said.
The fate of B.C.'s softwood lumber is said to be a major topic of discussion during the upcoming meeting between Eby and Carney.
Liberal candidate Will Greaves, running in the riding of Victoria, said he expects additional policy announcement concerning B.C. to come later during Carney's stop in B.C. Carney is Victoria Monday before travelling to Metro Vancouver.
"He just arrived earlier today," Greaves said of Carney. "So I think it was a little bit more of a fire-up-the-troops kind of a rally," Greaves said. "The policy announcements will continue tomorrow and I'm sure that B.C. will be front and centre in those."
Greaves said the size of the crowd speaks to the enthusiasm that Carney has been able to generate in B.C. where 43 seats – 12 per cent of the House of Commons – will be up for grabs.
"The polls are showing a lot of support for the (federal) Liberal candidates all across the South Island," he said. "That speaks volumes about the act that in this election, Vancouver Island is going to send at least one but likely more federal Liberals to participate in the federal government in Ottawa," he said.
Greaves acknowledged that other federal parties have also had success across the B.C.
"We will see a diversity of members elected across the province, but progressive voters who are worried about their values and about a government that is going to protect their interests, whether they are voted for the NDP in the past, whether they voted for the Greens in the past, many of those voters are choosing to support Mark Carney of the (federal) Liberal party in this election because they understand what's at stake."
