Trump’s threats dominate the debate on liberal leadership in Canada

Applicants who are struggling to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada have faced each other for the first time on Monday in debate in French.

The scene was shared by four hopes: former governor of Canada and England Banks Mark Carney, former Finance Minister Christy Freeland, liberal government leader Karina Gould and businessman and former MP Frank Baylis.

The question of how to deal with Donald Trump dominated the first half, as US President has repeatedly threatened to raise Canada and make it “51st country.”

Applicants also answered internal questions such as immigration, healthcare and high costs of life.

At the beginning of the debate, Freeland, whose resignation as Minister of Finance in December sparked the collapse of Trudeau’s leadership – said Trump was “the biggest threat to Canada after World War II.”

She often refers to her experience in the government, saying that she had successfully encountered Trump during his first term when she helped to renegotiate the long -standing free trade agreement in North America.

But Freeland warned that Trump’s second term could be a worse for Canada.

“He wants to turn Canada into a 51st country and it’s no joke,” she said. “That is why he supports (the Russian president) of Vladimir Putin’s criminal experience to redirect Ukraine’s borders.”

“Trump wants to redesign our borders,” Freeland said.

In order to oppose these threats, Freeland and other candidates proposed an increase in trade with the EU and the United Kingdom.

Bailis has proposed a “new economic bloc,” consisting of Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia, noting that all four countries share the same values, cultures and governing systems.

Carney, who is a championship in the ballot box, focused her message to help Canada achieve economic prosperity. He offered this using his resources, including critical minerals and metals, as well as can Canada “Super Gena of Pure Energy” and remove trade barriers between provinces.

He also agreed with Freeland that Trump’s second term was different from the first.

“He is a more insulationist. He is more aggressive,” Carney said. “In the past, he wanted our markets. Now he wants our country.”

He added that he would take advantage of imposing tariffs on the US dollar if they were going to move forward with his threat to impose a 25% tax on all Canadian goods starting on March 4.

Gould, the youngest candidate on the stage, is positioned as a candidate for today and the future, with a message that fits in how the Liberal Party under her leadership will work to make life more accessible to the Canadians.

Applicants also dealt with the shift of US policy in Ukraine. While the four discussed, Trudeau was in Kiev, celebrating three years since the start of the war in Russia-Ukraine.

All four candidates agreed that Canada should continue to support Ukraine. Freeland suggested that the money seized from Russia by sanctions would be redistributed to help Ukraine’s military efforts, while Carney said that any discussion about Ukraine’s future could not happen without the Ukrainians on the table.

Freeland also suggested that Canada should encourage more close relationships with Denmark, which she noted. He was also faced with threats from Trump, who signaled his desire to take over Greenland – Danish territory.

For the second half of the debate, candidates suggested that Canada help reduce their deficit on a federal budget, cope with crime and increase their military expenses.

They were also asked about the climate change, and Freeland and Carney said they no longer support carbon carbon tax – a key climate policy of the Trudeau government, which became unpopular with the Canadians.

At some points, the candidates also strived for the conservative party leader Pierre Polyver, saying that he would be unfit to defend Canada against Trump.

Poyevre is currently a leader in national polls, although the difference between him and the Liberal Party has narrowed after Trudeau’s resignation. Since then, the conservative leader has focused his attacks on Carney, arguing that the Liberal Party under his leadership will not be different from that of Trudeau.

The debate on Monday is the first of the two, with a second, English debate, set for Tuesday. The members of the Liberal Party will vote for their next leader on March 9, after which Trudeau is expected to withdraw.

French debate is especially important for Francophone Canadians in Quebec, whose votes influence to help decide which party will form the next government of Canada.

Whoever is elected leader will become the next Prime Minister of Canada until the next general election to be held on or before October 20.