Liberal Leader Mark Carney pitches affordability measures as U.S. readies new tariffs

WINNIPEG — Liberal Leader Mark Carney is turning the focus of his campaign to affordability, one day before U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to impose wide-ranging tariffs on multiple countries, including Canada.

Carney, in Winnipeg Tuesday for a campaign event, said Canadians are facing the “biggest crisis of our lifetimes” as Trump tries to reshape the U.S. economy and weaken Canada.

“President Trump is in the process of trying to fundamentally restructure the U.S. economy, and that means that our economy here needs to change dramatically as well,” he said.

He said his government would make life more affordable for Canadians by cutting taxes, building homes and maintaining existing programs for child care and dental care.

His pitch to voters came on the day that the federal fuel charge ceased to apply, weeks after Carney officially ended a signature climate policy of his Liberal predecessor Justin Trudeau.

Carney ended the consumer carbon tax last month in his first act as prime minister — a move he said will save Manitoba families around $800 on average per year.

“I am not a career politician. I’m a pragmatist. So when I see something that doesn’t make sense, I change it,” he said, in reference to the carbon tax.

He said the end of consumer carbon pricing would result in an 18-cent-per-litre drop in price at the pumps.

“It also means you’ll pay, on average, about $300 less a year on your home heating bill,” he said.

Carney used his appearance on Tuesday to cite his party’s previous promises to cut taxes, double the pace of housing construction, eliminate the GST for many first-time home purchases and expand dental coverage.

He added that his party is “absolutely” committed to maintaining the current pharmacare program but did not say whether a Carney-led government would expand it.

Carney’s campaign event happened just hours after Paul Chiang stepped down as a Liberal candidate in response to mounting pressure over his suggestion to a media outlet that a political opponent could be turned over to Chinese officials for a bounty.

Carney denounced the comments but stood by Chiang after the candidate apologized. But Chiang announced late Monday that he didn’t want to be a distraction.

Carney said Tuesday that he had accepted Chiang’s offer to resign. “As I said yesterday, his comments were deeply troubling and regrettable,” he said. “We will move on with looking for a new candidate for Markham.”

Liberal Ben Carr, who is running for re-election in the riding of Winnipeg South Centre, said he hoped the resignation would allow the party to “turn the page.”

“It’s an unfortunate thing that happened, a serious set of remarks made by Mr. Chiang, but as the leader has said and as Mr. Chiang has said, the time was right for him to step down and be accountable,” he told reporters following Carney’s event.

Two of the Liberal candidates who appeared at Carney’s Manitoba campaign event Tuesday morning expressed the hope that the party can capitalize on what polls suggest is declining national NDP support.

Rebecca Chartrand, who is looking to unseat longtime NDP MP Niki Ashton in a northern Manitoba riding, said she’s encouraged by what she’s hearing from voters she meets.

“I think people want to see change. That’s what we’re hearing at the doors,” she said.

Ginette Lavack — who is running for the Liberals Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, after former Liberal cabinet minister Dan Vandal didn’t seek re-election — said she thinks seats that formerly enjoyed strong NDP support are “absolutely” in play — despite the fact that Manitoba has a popular NDP premier at the provincial level.

“Provincial and federal politics are different, and I think people recognize that,” she said. “When they’re looking at the national picture, the Liberal is the choice.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2025.

The Canadian Press