Liberal leadership debate kicks off with questions about threat posed by Trump

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MONTREAL — The Liberal leadership debate began Monday night with the candidates explaining how they would handle the tumultuous relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump and his threats of economic warfare.

Former central banker Mark Carney, former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, former government House leader Karina Gould and former MP Frank Baylis are competing to succeed Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the top job.

Ex-TVA-Quebec anchor Pierre Jobin is moderating the French-language debate in Montreal.

Carney said that the first step when negotiating trade with the Americans is to be clear about what won’t be on the table: Supply management, culture and water.

“Trump of today, he isn’t the same as before. He’s more isolationist, more aggressive. Before, he wanted a piece of our economy. Now, he wants our country,” Carney said.

“We need to focus on what we can control. We can’t control President Trump. We need to reinforce our economy immediately. It will reinforce our negotiating position.”

Gould agreed but said Canada needs to stand up for its economy.

“We need to understand that Canadian businesses have a lot to offer the world,” she said. “Not just the United States but other countries.”

Freeland said Trump poses a one-in-a-generation threat to Canadian sovereignty.

“Trump represents the biggest threat to Canada since World War II. He threatens us with economic war,” Freeland said in her opening remarks.

“Last time he was president, he threatened us. And I was successful in protecting Canada. This time, his threats are worse.”

Baylis said the talk of negotiation with Trump is meaningless, since Canada already has a trade agreement in place which isn’t being respected by the American president. He proposed forming a new economic alliance with the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

The debates are being framed around some “key themes.”

Along with Canada’s place in the world, candidates are being asked to discuss building a strong economy, supporting Canadians — through immigration, health care and housing — climate action and support for young Canadians.

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The themes were voted on by the party’s registered members, Jobin said in the preamble to the debate.

The candidates knew the themes going into the debate but not the specific questions they would be asked.

With little time remaining until voting begins and just two weeks before the winner is announced, these debates will be the only opportunities Liberal supporters get to see the candidates together.

Advance voting opens Wednesday for party members.

The winner of the race, to be announced March 9, will replace Trudeau as both Liberal leader and prime minister, though a general election call is widely expected soon after the votes are counted.

Based on polls and fundraising to date, Carney is the clear front-runner. Opinion surveys suggest his candidacy has helped the Liberals close the polling gap with the Conservatives.

Carney, a former governor of central banks in Canada and England, has been the target of Conservative attack ads in recent weeks. The Conservatives issued statements ahead of the first debate taking aim at him exclusively.

“Canadians will be watching to see what Mark Carney is actually proposing,” said Conservative House leader Andrew Scheer.

“One thing will be clear: Carney is not offering real change from the last 10 years of Liberal government.”