Prime Minister Mark Carney promised to build more homes with Canadian materials, pledged to turn Canada into an “energy super-power” and blasted U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policy during a roughly 16 minutes speech to supporters in Saskatoon on Wednesday.
Carney was joined by several Saskatchewan Liberal candidates, including former NDP MLA Buckley Belanger, who is running for the Liberals in Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River.
Carney told those in attendance that this was a “hinge moment” in history, comparable to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
“They (Americans) want us to be the 51st state,” Carney told supporters. “They want to break us. They want to break us so they can own us. They want our resources. They want our water. They want our land. They want our country. And what do we say? Never, because Canada is not America.”
Carney outlined a brief plan for dealing with American tariff threats. That plan includes tariffs on U.S. goods, lawsuits in international court, and a media blitz led by Canadian politicians like Ontario Conservative Premier Doug Ford.
“We fight the Americans with what they understand,” Ford said. “They understand money, they understand lawyers, and they understand Fox News.”
Carney said Canada needs to become an “energy superpower” to replace the American oil and gas imports used in Eastern Canada. That plan, Carney said, involves investments in clean energy and nuclear energy, as well as harvesting critical metals and minerals “in full partnership with Indigenous peoples.”
Carney frequently criticized U.S. policy during his speech. He said healthcare isn’t “big business” in Canada like it is in the U.S., and argued Canada is a place where diversity is valued, unlike the U.S.
“You can hold different opinions in this country,” he said.
Carney made the latter comments following a disruption from two individuals who yelled “51st state” and urged attendees not to listen. That was the first of two interruptions on the night. The second came from one activist who yelled that “people are being slaughtered in Palestine.”
Carney appeared annoyed at the second interruption, telling the activist she had “made her point” before continuing with his speech.
Saskatchewan voters have not elected a Liberal MP since former Finance Minister Ralph Goodale ran in Regina. Carney told supporters the government needs more Saskatchewan Liberal MPs in Parliament.
“We’ve got to send great Saskatchewan MPs to Ottawa, because let me tell you, I have lived in Ottawa for a number of years, and nothing happens in Ottawa,” Carney said. “If something happens in Ottawa, people don’t notice, and we need to change that.”
Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River Liberal candidate Buckly Belanger was among the Liberal candidates who spoke prior to Carney’s speech. Belanger told attendees Carney was the best leader to deal with Donald Trump.
“A message to people out there as they think about our leader being able to negotiate with Trump: this is a man that’s focused and has the abilities. As I often tell folks, with (Conservative Leader Pierre) Poilievre, he cannot negotiate with anybody who gives him the pat on the forehead, and that’s exactly what Trump is doing,” Belanger said.
Belanger also argued that the Liberals under Carney who do a better job of working with Indigenous communities.
“Under our leader Mark Carney, I know our voices will be heard because we’ll stand beside him,” Carney said. “He’s the type of leader we can follow anywhere across the world.”
The federal election is scheduled for Monday, April 28.
