Mark Carney was sworn in as prime minister of Canada a year ago today, and surely even his opponents must admit he’s enjoyed considerable success in his first year on the job.
Many progressive Canadians with deep misgivings about the direction in which Mr. Carney is taking the country are nevertheless watching with a certain amount of satisfaction as the prime minister leaves Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre squirming.
It’s demonstrably true that Mr. Carney’s actions don’t always match his words. Still, say what you will about this Liberal prime minister’s Conservative-style policies, during his years as a central banker he clearly learned his way around government. As a result, Mr. Carney has been able to plot a reasonably steady course in an unexpectedly chaotic world – a situation made worse by the unravelling clown show in Washington D.C.
Judging from recent polling, a lot of Canadians now feel this way, experiencing the sense the adults are back in charge in Ottawa, and grateful that thanks to the timely arrival of Mr. Carney last year the country no longer felt the need to jump from the frying pan into the fire on April 28 – that is, to mark the end of the Justin Trudeau era by replacing the Liberals in the spring general election with the MAGA tribute production planned by Mr. Poilievre.
If another election were held tomorrow, Mr. Carney would win the majority he’s been building by wooing MPs from other parties to join the Liberal ranks in the House of Commons
As I’ve said before in this space, Mr. Carney has proved again that the L-shaped party remains Canada’s natural governing party.
But let’s pause for a moment and consider the Carney Agenda through the lens of the March 4-6 Broadbent Summit. There, some of the floundering but not yet foundering remnants of the federal New Democratic Party’s gathered in Ottawa to ponder how to find a way out of the self-inflicted predicament that took the party from 103 seats in Parliament when the Broadbent Institute was founded in 2011 to seven when the meeting was held, further reduced this week to six.
On March 6, a panel of five social movement activists unpacked what they saw as “the impacts and contradictions of the Carney Agenda.”
Elbows up? Or flooding the zone, as journalist and panel moderator Martin Lukacs put it, with “a veritable tsunami of pro-corporate policies and legislation under the cover of the disorientation and shock of the Trump attacks against Canada.”
Here are some of the observations about our prime minister’s agenda made by the five panelists, in a few places lightly edited for clarity. The entire conversation can be found on a podcast published by The Breach.
These are harsh critiques of Prime Minister Carney’s agenda, and the approach he has taken, but not made without strong evidence. Still, one can’t help feeling that we could have done worse. Indeed, we nearly did!
Janelle Lapointe, climate justice and Indigenous rights organizer from the Stellat’en First Nation, an advisor to the David Suzuki Foundation:
“In this new circumstance where we have Carney as leader, he’s really weaponizing the threat of Donald Trump and saying we need these major projects, and we need them now. What that means is we now have this fast-tracking legislation … that puts these major resource projects forward and removes some of the safeguards that we had, like environmental assessments and consultation processes that were already severely flawed.”
“So now we have these major projects that have extreme risks to our land, our waters, our culture, the safety of our women and girls … And we are told that is a gift to us!
“I think the most sinister part of it is how the Carney Government has repackaged this as generosity and reconciliation, and now we’re in a situation where Indigenous governments are likely going to be taking out massive loans to build some of these projects. … We call that predatory lending. We do not call that economic reconciliation. And when I put it that way, it makes sense why our banker prime minister has been so goddam good at using this tactic!”
Atiya Jaffar, Canada country manager, 350.org, an international climate justice organization:
“What we’re seeing in Carney is that he is fully regressing us back, tearing apart every climate policy that we’ve won over the last decade. But the thing is, these were all mediocre policies. … I would say, in the climate movement, how we’re viewing the Carney Agenda is it’s an agenda of rampant deregulation and rapid deregulation to expand extractivism, and we know he’s borrowing from Trump’s playbook, but he’s also saying that he’s fighting back, and that’s why he won the election.”
“What he’s calling nation-building projects are essentially just projects that that are tearing apart our communities and worsening the climate emergency. … So we’re building resiliency against Trump in America, but we’re also supporting American fossil fuel projects. The logic just doesn’t stand.”
“After this, of course, we had the Alberta-Canada MoU with Danielle Smith. Carney deepened his commitment to deregulation through this in alignment with the demands of the fossil fuel industry. So this MoU led to the scrapping of the pollution cap on the fossil fuel industry, scrapping the clean-electricity regulations. And perhaps most alarming is the Alberta-Canada MoU just put a new West Coast pipeline on the table. This mystery project is intended to bring Canadian tarsands oil to Asian markets through the Pacific Coast.”
“One of the biggest struggles that we’re facing in the climate movement is knowing that public opinion seems to be on Carney’s side. Carney’s agenda seems to be resonant amongst many mainstream and even progressive-leaning Canadians, people are grasping for some economic stability, and the logic seems to be making sense to people.”
Rachel Small, Canada lead for World Beyond War, an international anti-war organization:
“I did not think the Carney Agenda was going to be primarily about building economic prosperity, domestic policy, foreign policy, based on war and militarism. That has been shocking to me. … If I had to sum up that in a word, it’s been about moving Canada closer and closer and closer to the U.S. militarily. … So, yes, despite all the talk about ‘elbows up’ in the Davos speech, all the talk about separating from the U.S., resisting big bullies, etc., what Carney has actually done over the past year is just move Canada horrifyingly, at breakneck speed, down a path based on ever increasing militarization and warmongering. … This is the opposite of what he is saying he is doing! But if you look at what he is doing, this is what it is.”
“Just a couple of weeks ago, the Canadian government released a new defense industrial strategy … literally throwing around about half a trillion dollars, in Carney’s words, to ramp up military production, to ramp up arms exports, to weaken our already completely dysfunctional arms exports permitting process, and basically saying what we’re going to do is we’re going to bank Canada’s future, our economic prosperity, on militarism and war profiteering.”
“This is a radical departure for Canada to be doing this, to be saying this, to not be hiding behind a front of, ‘Oh, we’re a peacekeeper in the world.’ To just be saying, ‘No, actually, we’re going to build our wealth on war and investing in the production of weapons of genocide.”
“The implication – and sometimes this is said overtly, sometimes it’s just implied – is, ‘Oh, this is what we need to protect us from the U.S.’ And, unfortunately, that just couldn’t be less true. It’s truly the opposite. This is an enormous gift to Trump.”
Syed Hussan, executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, a member-led organization of migrant farmworkers, care workers, students, and others:
“You’ve got millions of people paying into your welfare system but not being able to access it. That allows for your schools to be funded, for your health care to be functional. Right? So for the past 30 years, migrants have been propping up this country. We’ve been propping up this country while being excluded, while being exploited.
“And now were being scapegoated, and as we’re being pushed out, you’ve entered a kind of Doom Cycle, basically because people are struggling to pay rent, they’re struggling to afford their homes, they’re struggling to get good jobs, and they’re being told the problem is migrants. And then the migrants are being pushed out, but the economy will worsen. … What we can’t do is deal with this overwhelming economic crisis that migrants are both being blamed for and their exclusion is worsening!”
“Then Carney comes in. … What does he do? … They’ve given themselves the power to cancel any group of immigration permit whenever they want. … So we are in a very particular calamitous cycle here, and folks don’t understand it, because what’s happening, in part because the economic contraction, is it is justifying budget cuts to every sector. The racism and xenophobia that is being embedded into people’s minds makes it so that climate has actually dropped as a top issue of concern … Which means that you can’t actually make moves on any of our other social justice issues because people are convinced that if they get rid of immigrants, everything will get better. So fighting against xenophobia and racism is a strategic necessity!”
Nathan Prier, president, Canadian Association of Professional Employees, one of the unions representing employees of the federal government:
“Carney is our boss, and the impact of austerity there is being felt immediately by our members. … Federal workers know how ideological these cuts are. This isn’t just an accounting operation of right-sizing the public sector. They’re being scapegoated for a deficit that they absolutely did not cause, and Carney is taking the possibility of labour peace very much off the table in a very overt way.”
“Who do you think is picking up the slack? I’m asking. Consultants! McKinsey. Deloitte. They cost like a buck-25 on the dollar for what it costs to keep a public servant at their desk. And we’ve shattered the record for the last two years on consultants. … And so lots of my members are now working beside the McKinsey or Deloitte consultant who just replaced their co-worker, and it’s costing more than to keep the old guy at their desk!”
Hello DJC and fellow commenters,
I am very concerned with Mark Carney’s shortsighted decrease in government workers who are the backbone that helps make this country workable. Using “consultants” is disastrous as they continue to recommend more privatization which will, of course, be financially beneficial to the consulting companies. Consultants do not have loyalty to the well-being of the country. They are short term and always looking for the next contract, so they aren’t as dedicated to producing good quality work and they don’t do all the extra work that is required to make the organization truly successful. In addition, they seldom have the knowledge and expertise built up over many years of working in their specific field. These are some of the disadvantages of hiring consultants.
Justin Trudeau was criticized for his extensive use of consultants, specifically McKinsey, which was, if I recall correctly, the consulting company which sidelined professional bureaucrats and recommended a sudden and steep increase in immigration which many are complaining about. The relationship between McKinsey and Dominic Barton, a high level executive at McKinsey and a former ambassador to China, and other founders of the Century Initiative which promoted a population of 100 million for Canada by 2100, other large multinational corporations, and the Canadian government has been criticized. The cost of the numerous contracts between the Canadian government and McKinsey was criticized as well. President Emanuel Macron of France has also been highly criticized for the amount of money spent on contracts with the consulting company McKinsey.
A dim star looks bright in a dark sky.
Look who Carney’s up against.
“the prime minister leaves Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre squirming”
While superseding their leader, Carney leaves many Conservatives smiling. So much so that they want to join him.
Carney’s agenda borrows liberally from the Conservative platform — and not just on energy and climate.
Paving the way for red Tories to cross the floor.
Creating a coalition of Liberals and Conservatives.
Erin O’Toole: “Advice to the Prime Minister: Keep it Up!” (Dec 31, 2025)
“… From the leadership win to the present day, I have to say that I agree with most of what the Prime Minister has done in large part because it is what I recommended should be done.”
https://erinotoole.substack.com/p/advice-to-the-prime-minister-keep
Poilievre’s Conservatives may have lost the election, but they seem to have won the argument.
Conservatives are clapping for Carney’s agenda.
As long as the Liberal Party executes their agenda, the Conservatives do not have to win elections.
Thanks to Mark Carney — the best prime minister the Conservatives never had.
Good job simultaneously acknowledging and then completely disregarding that overarching “dark sky,” obliterative though it would have been had we elected the “MAGA tribute project” currently wreaking havoc on literally the entire world.
Trump clearly doesn’t understand what “obliterative” means, but YOU do, and if pressed, so would all those starry-eyed young people quoted here.
But speaking of stars, theirs are currently rising as environmental “activists,” but the attendant, youthful zealotry and extremism have “trumped” reality not unlike the MAGA cult leader.
However “cults” manifest, they remain cults, i.e. devoid of perspective along with the complicated truth that REALLY should be our genuine “north star,” especially now.
Youth naturally provides an excuse for overweening idealism, but what is YOURS Mr. P?
Lesser or greater evil?
As noted below (March 14, 10:06 am), the Liberals do much harm that the Conservatives, particularly in a minority government, could not get away with.
As it is, Canadians are getting the Conservative policy platform under the Liberal banner.
Poilievre, or the prospect of Poilievre, does not redeem Carney’s character, policies, or missteps.
Liberal partisans will always hold the prospect of Poilievre over our heads. Carney apologists are unable — and no longer try — to defend Dear Leader’s actions, but merely threaten us with a worse alternative. Arm-twisting instead of hand-shaking.
Politics by extortion rather than persuasion.
The politics of fear.
Like the used-car salesman who persuades you to buy the lemon, because the only other car on the lot does not even run.
Like the miserable mother who gives her child thin gruel every morning, and warns him not to complain, because the alternative is burnt toast.
The strategic voting trap.
Down south, the genocidal Democrats raised the threat of a Trump victory to browbeat reluctant progressive voters to the ballot box. Changing the policy on Gaza was not up for discussion.
Many voters ignored the threats and stayed home. Democrats blamed recalcitrant voters for their loss, instead of revising their unacceptable policies.
The opposite of idealism is denial, defeatism, and pessimism. Life cannot get any better. No alternatives exist, so there is no point in working for a better future. Grit your teeth and accept your fate under Carney’s Liberals.
Of course, there is a third alternative, which Liberal partisans conveniently fail to mention.
Vote your conscience. Vote your beliefs. Vote your principles. Vote for politicians and parties committed to a better future. Live in hope, not in fear. Optimism over pessimism.
Because there is no other way out of the strategic voting trap.
Dear Leader’s obvious failings notwithstanding, Liberal partisans are quick to jump on voters who voice criticisms or complaints.
Under responsible government, voters must hold their government and leaders accountable. Otherwise, democracy fails.
Political parties are supposed to dance to the tune of voters.
If the Liberals want to win, it must respect the will of its voters. It is not up to voters to conform to the will of the party. That’s backwards.
How can we ever reclaim our power over our elected representatives if we keep voting against our own interests?
Politicians and parties take progressive voters for granted, but only if we let them.
The only real leverage we have is our vote (and donation dollars).
If progressives wish to encourage Liberal politicians to ignore them, by all means, keep voting Liberal.
If you want to break them of the habit, park your vote elsewhere or stay home.
By withholding our votes, progressives send the party a clear message. Reform and revise your policies. If you fail us, do not expect our support.
If progressive Canadians vote in fear (i.e, “strategically”) for the Liberals, the Liberals remain in power indefinitely — and never have to change their policies.
If you reward failure, betrayal, and broken promises, expect more of the same.
If someone has taken your political representation away, take it back. If you cannot reform the party leadership, give them the boot. Yes, even if it means suffering the other party for four years.
One step back, two steps forward. The only way to ensure politicians and parties remain accountable to voters. Otherwise, we can kiss democracy — the power of the people — goodbye.
No alternatives to the pyromaniac Liberals?
Yes there is. Give the Liberals a well-deserved time-out.
Vote for the NDP or Greens — and send the Liberals a clear message:
If you want my vote, you have to earn it.
If you want my vote, change your policy.
Carney has Poilievre (and Trump and Danielle Smith) to thank for his election victory.
If the Conservatives put forth a moderate leader, the last election would have been far closer.
“self-inflicted predicament”
NDP voters flocked to the Liberals for fear of Poilievre.
The NDP can thank Poilievre for their collapse.
As long as Poilievre remains leader, count on the Liberals to succeed and the NDP to struggle.
For progressives, Carney’s Liberals remain the lesser evil.
But are they really?
Carney has been able to go much further than the Conservatives would dare. Dismantling climate policy. Repealing Canada’s environmental laws on major projects of national interest.
If Poilievre was exporting arms and military technology to the U.S. to be re-exported to genocidal Israel, progressives would be outraged. When Carney defends the practice, progressives give him a pass.
Carney’s foreign policy floundering — not just on Iran, but on Venezuela and Gaza as well — is hard to stomach, but our hypocritical PM will get a pass on that too.
The Liberals do much harm that the Conservatives could not get away with.
Big Oil couldn’t ask for a better setup. Terrified by the Conservative bogeyman, progressive voters run into the arms of Carney’s Liberals. CAPP set their Conservative hounds on the Liberals, while the petro-progressives give the O&G industry just about everything on its wishlist.
Federally, the Liberals play the fear card every election to limit the NDP and Green vote. The Liberals play a slick game, and progressive voters fall for it every time.
Voting Liberal to keep the Conservatives out delivers much of the Conservatives’ platform under a nominally Liberal PM.
Small wonder Pierre Poilievre calls Mark Carney’s Liberals counterfeit Conservatives.
The conservatives have had the gift of split voting for ever. Our country, obviously does not want a socialist government, but by having the NDP we have allowed the conservatives the chance at power, and the chance to continue to dream of power. Yes, the current PM has leaned right, and regardless of the fact that the Broadbent institute does not want to recognize the Trump danger and the need to adjust, Carney has made realistic concessions to accept that good should not be the enemy of everything. I have concerns, but I would be much more concerned if PP were making the calls.
Hi, David. Typo alert: polices SHOULD BE policies. Thought you’d want to know ASAP.
Thanks, Scott. Fixed. DJC
We should all be thankful for prime minister Mark Carney. Can anyone imagine what life would be like today with the likes of Pollievre’s conservatives at the helm. Mark Carney will be recognized as Canada’s finest prime minister ever.
“Mark Carney will be recognized as Canada’s finest prime minister ever …”
At your house, perhaps.
Chez moi, different story.
In mere months, the “Values” guy has doubled down on fossil fuels, rolled back environmental laws (Bill C-5), and dismantled much of Canada’s inadequate climate policy.
Millions of lives are at stake. Livelihoods, species, and entire ecosystems.
Carney’s shameful capitulation to AB Premier Smith and the O&G industry amount to a betrayal of future generations.
Even if Carney halts the carnage today, his legacy will be one of lasting damage to Canada’s environment, economy, social fabric, indigenous relations, and int’l reputation.
Carney will go down in history for the hypocrisy of his speech at Davos.
Carney lamented the demise of the international order; but his feeble response to Trump’s recent assaults upon Venezuela, Gaza, Cuba, and now Iran only emboldens the pumpkin occupying the White House and further undermines the rules-based international order.
Carney’s silence in response to the bombing of a girl’s school in Iran was deafening.
Last June, Carney had the temerity to call for a Zionist Palestinian state:
Carney’s defence of Israel’s “right to exist” is doubletalk for the Zionists’ right to displace and dispossess Palestinians. No such right exists.
Carney has never called Israel’s assault a genocide. Carney has never advocated for comprehensive sanctions or an arms embargo on the state of Israel to end its slaughter in Gaza. Carney averts his eyes while violent settlers under state sanction and military protection wreak murder and mayhem in the occupied West Bank. Palestinians must accept their losses as a fait accompli and cease resistance.
Carney will be remembered for support the export of arms and military technology to the U.S. to be re-exported to genocidal Israel.
Less than a year into office, your blessed PM cannot wash the blood off his hands.
I only have this to add: Without question, William Lyon Mackenzie King was Canada’s finest prime minister. Right, Pat? (Pat: Arf! Arf!) DJC
@djc by any chance, did Mr. King tell you that via an Ouija board?
All facetiousesness (sic?) aside, wasn’t King the only PM to be “extinguished” by a governor general?
Gerald: I didn’t speak with Mr. King. I spoke with Pat. I’m not sure which Pat, though. All three of ’em sound the same to me. Now, as to your question about the GG, the answer is yes, which you could easily discover simply by using the Byng search engine. DJC
@Geoffrey
And I doubt we’ll hear one word of condemnation as the IDF attempts to steal half of Lebanon then commits mass slaughter and displacement to do it.
They’ve already started and they’re calling up half a million troops to continue.
I’m amazed at how quickly some of my neighbours put up their F*** Carney flags. It’s so nice of Amazon to make them available at such a deal. Amazon also has great deals on all the Alberta separatist flags as well. I guess we know who’s side their on. But anyway, I like Carney. I think he’s done a great job in starting to distance us from the U.S. and he was able to scratch Smith behind the ears to settle her down a bit. He’s definitely not perfect, but’s he’s doing his best, under these current global circumstances.
Jones— LMAO– there’s a wonderful cartoon in there for Michael de Adder …MOU,good girl…..still laughing!!
Action:
https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/trump-referred-to-carney-as-future-governor-of-canada-its-not-the-first-time-hes-called-him-that/
Consequence:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0e5jwz0703o
A British podcaster observed that every time Donald Trump calls Mark Carney that name, another MP crosses the floor to the Liberals, consolidating the power of both Canada and Carney.
Let’s see what happens the next time he does it.
@abs please add possible coffee snort warning!
And many thanks for the laugh, from both me and wife.
Carney certainly has transformed politics in Canada in a somewhat unexpected way. The CPC leadership that was eagerly measuring the drapes for an expected election win last year are probably the most most surprised and are still having trouble trying to adapt to the new situation.
Although to be fair, the result of the last election was as much a rejection of them as enthusiasm for the new Liberal leader. However, it can be hard to accept this sort of message and even harder to change, so we will see if the CPC is able to do.
It would not surprising if after years of minority government and the limits and unstability that sometimes comes with it, if Canadians now want something else, particularly in a world that seems to be so unstable and uncertain. The PM seems on the path to get it whether through floor crossings or an election. In some ways this is like the economically unsettled period after 2008, where the party in power had won a minority and steadily worked towards getting a majority. Although this time, they are much closer to having one already.
Perhaps the best thing for the NDP now would be for the Liberals to get a working majority, so they will no longer be tied to them or put in the position to support them. Although, of course I am sure they hope any more floor crossers do not not come from their party. If this happens without needing an election soon, it could also give them much needed time to rebuild.
It is my understanding that the majority share holders of the PM’s generational nation building projects will be major Trump donors. In particular the majority share holder of the Ksi Lisims LNG Project is an individual who gave Jeffrey Epstein just under $200m for “tax advice”. And to boot will increase GHG’s at a time when temperature’s are closing in on fatal. In 1910 the wealthiest 10% of the population controlled an estimated 80% to 90% of overall wealth. In 2025 the wealthiest 10% of the population control an estimated 75% of overall wealth. Gimme a W, gimme W, gimme a III. What does that spell. Oh s**t!
I didn’t read anything in those criticisms I didn’t wholeheartedly agree with.
That said.
I learned a long time ago that what you need to push as an activist is for the change you want against whatever state you’re up against because it’s highly unlikely you’ll land in a better position if you coup the state or are the mechanism by which, it is destroyed.
Now, Carney gets to shove through quickly because let’s face it, the world is in flux, we are forced to move fast which sometimes breaks things and while I’d far prefer we spend more time working out better options, I am pretty sure we’re not in a position to do that right now with an economic war raging against a fascist regime smack on our border that could turn military at any time.
We need the country to survive as a sovereign state, first. Without that, we have no platform on which to launch our other demands. Iran knows this and other countries in history have known this.
One tell-tale sign of Carney’s deeper agenda will be what happens with those F35’s. Why those, you ask? Because the only proven use they have is for imperialists *bombing other people*, they’re practically useless as defense in a huge country like Canada and they cost a king’s ransom, each.
The NDP have three years to get their act together and push enough candidates to have a strong say in the government.
I suggest they get moving on that while proving their worth as organizers against the current/upcoming Carney policies they disagree with.
I know people think it sad that the NDP has fallen and they in their hearts would like them to reemerge, but NDPers do not vote con so all they do is allow cons the opportunity to have power.
…a situation made worse the unravelling clown show in Washington D.C.
Shouldn’t there be a “by” in there?
Thanks, Lars. It’s been fixed. DJC
I was surprised by Skippy’s trip overseas, but from the clip of his speech in Germany (thanks Claus kellerman) ; I’m sure our PM is not duly concerned, except having to maybe apologize to Chancellor Merz for subjecting the people to the nincompoop.
It was already embarrassing enough for Skippy with his ” the electrician reaches for the lightning to produce electricity to light the room ” , now in Germany he’s telling the crowd that Canada can produce exportable natural gas…
because…
“It’s colder in Canada than in Louisiana ”
Sunday he’s supposed to put out his plan for getting rid of the tariffs on autos in Detroit (mums the word) then headed to Texas to talk about his energy plan. Well maybe he can convince them that getting electricity from lightning is safer than those eagle killing (hundreds and thousands) windmills.
Oh my word!!
If the Cons keep him on as their best bet for the next election, they’ll probably lose more seats, especially since he’s going to have to “back room deal ” a 2nd time with one of his caucus to get a seat in Ontario, since he wants nothing to do with his constituents in BRC, unless he’s planning on throwing Damien under the proverbial Con bus, or in this case tractor.
Just saying!
Mark Carney is a banker and a Neo-liberal using a fur coat of values. I just thank him for having saved us from what would have been the greatest debacle in our history if Pierre Poilievre would have become prime minister and would have taken our great country on the road with the MAGA circus and lowering our standards to what we are all witnessing happening in the US right now. That alone makes me approve of him, other than that, I think Carney will take us back to the 1950s development mind set which unfortunately seems to be great for many Canadians that are not willing to see their future with the changes we need to make in order to be ahead of a crisis that is already on and will be with us for decades to come. The future of their kids and grandkids are not as important as their greed.
I hear what you’re saying, Carlos, but I think the Fifties, Cold War and all, were in many ways a more hopeful time. 1950, after all, was just five years after the end of World War II and were were entering a period of time when the middle class, so called, was thriving and growing. Now we are at the end of 45 years of neoliberalism, everything gets worse continually, and we blame everything for causing the accelerating decline of our society except the one factor that has been consistent throughout the decline. DJC
DJC— okay, I’ll bite.
Social studies circa 1968(?)
Our teacher Mr Greenbaugh started us on the industrial revolution in Britain, new innovations that were putting people out of work, right up to the hostile takeovers of companies in the USA.
At this point with 20 yrs of listening to “all that chopping and peeling ” ( yes,I’m still boycotting McCains) smart appliances, TVs, cars etc: add in bet to win, you don’t need to work- there’s a robot for that. smarter, faster, cheaper, and more than likely to leave us as the song goes >>dust in the wind.
** Technology and greed **
Pretty close, Randi-lee. Maybe just a little earlier. DJC
David I fully agree with you about the 50s but the only reason that was true is because there were 2.5 billion of us and so economic development of any kind was not damaging the planet the way it is now. That was my point when I stated ‘1950s development’. Carney seems to believe that we need to go back to that kind of ‘Drill baby drill’ mentality and forget about anything else, which, in my view, will be the end of any development at all. Carney’s approach and agreement with Danielle Smith is a clear proof that they are in the same mind set in terms of their views on economic development. Carney is trying to maintain Canadian standards of living any way possible but that will only push us further into an environmental and economic crisis in the future. It seems, Carney believes that we can get through this confluent crisis without any consequences at all, if we only get more trade and more mines and more population and more economic development. I doubt it. This is not true now and has never been true. In the 50s was still possible, it is not now. As much as we all would like it to be that simple, we know clearly that it is not. If we continue at the same rate, we will hit the wall on every front whether we like it or not. It is only a matter of time until we find out the hard way. This is like believing we can go to a war and have no deaths.
I presume that what you meant by ‘..one factor that has been consistent …’ is what the neo-liberals have done very well and intentionally which is the destruction of the middle class.
Carlos: Correct. That’s what I meant. DJC
“everything gets worse continually, and we blame everything for causing the accelerating decline of our society except the one factor that has been consistent throughout the decline.” Oops, I briefly thought you might have meant capitalism there.
Seriously, neoliberalism is just a symptom of capitalism. It’s just what we used to call “Free Enterprise” but this doesn’t happen on its own, it has to be forced onto the populace. Hayek and his cohorts like Friedman just realized that democracy inhibits free enterprise so that has to be fixed. Neoliberalism and its parent capitalism, are fundamentally opposed to democracy.
Mickey: Neoliberalism, I think, is what we used to call “late capitalism,” a concept from the M-word, although not one that ole Karl articulated using those precise words, methinks. DJC
I suggest that Carney is the response to Trump. But happens when Trump is no more?
Now that Carney has, in a sense, brought back the policy directions of the 80s and 90s, any progress over the last decade has been effectively wiped out.
The NDP have tough shoes to full, reclaiming the social agenda back from the CPC/MAGA Trojan Horse. Otherwise, they will dissolve into a factionalized mess worse than they are already.
On a lighter note>>> compliments of MS NOW….They were doing an interview with Sir Ed Davey, leader of the UK Liberal Democrats re: war in Iran and d’rumps personal war on the UK/ and Keir Starmers response.
” well ,I’ll say one thing for OUR politicians, they wear shoes that fit “.
WOW!! He just Kellogged Rubio
‘Snap, crackle and pop’…
2 thumbs up LOL…
Carney will prove over time to be just as gaffe prone as Trudeau. Just a few examples: as Governor of Bank of England he intervened during the Brexit vote on the side of the anti-Brexeers. He got pummelled there for that support. During the 2025 election he waxed eloquent on raising his elbows: I’d like to know if Trump is aware that Carney was promising to either knock him out or dislocate his jaw over national interests. Davos speech was/is an ill conceved attack on US policies (in large measure supported by both GOP and Democats (ie. decades long tariffs on wood, etc.) Latest gaffe is his “support” for Trump in attacking Iran even it was public knowledge that the murders of a leader and children had taken place in the opening hours and it was a war of unprovoked aggression. With regard to policies, he bows down to every provincial and regional interest. As PM this is the first time in his life he has a span of control beyond a few hundred personnel and beyond a handful of policies. Whether as a Goldman banker, Harper’s consigliere over the mortgage backed securites forcibly sold by banks to the CMHC, or Governor X 2: his “power” was very carefully circumscribed and limited. He worked at the behest of others, but unfortunately in politics the same rules do not apply and a politician at his level has a “certain relative autonomy” from the interests and powers that be. But his freedom of action is limited by the present “conjuncture of the balance of forces”. Buying submarines is easy because the US interest is unlimited to everything but the hull. Planes and ships are a different order: under NORAD Canada has a signed a document which specifies that ALL/everything equipment, etc. has to be agreed to by both countries used in the world. I would bet on more F35s. Or maybe older but cheaper Fs versions of the last 30 years will be bought. No non-US planes will be bought, regardless of the reports of the GAO over the 20 years on quality of the F35. With roughly 1500 F35 flying and buying so late, this Frankenstein of place, the act of buying F35s is a very foolish decision: He is as cornered Harper and Trudeau. Carney speaks directly to the moneyed classes and his solutions are tailored to their interests; Poilievre speaks to 80% of Canadians but offers not a hint of what solutions he would legislate. As the Liberals are Conservatives in a hurry and eating Poilievre lunch, Poilievre is left with words without meaning.
Realistically, no political leader is perfect. Leaders also change during their terms, as does their electorate’s expectations. For me, Carney had less “warts” than Poilievre or Singh.
Will I vote Liberal in the next election? It depends. I personally think a strong minority government is best. I still remember Harper’s minority government, where he actually worked with the opposition, and I liked that government. I also remember how Harper went fascist with his majority.
Problem is, I can’t see Poilievre putting aside his hyper-partisanship, which is part of the equation. Nor am I sanguine about Carney not shitting the bed with a majority. And if Avi Lewis wins, the NDP will stay neutered.
Unfortunately I vote in an area where you could run a dog or even a horse and that animal would elected as an MP. Not even condemning the Iran murders has left Lewis with no moral standing and he is left to sheepdog “progesssive” voters away from fundamental political change. Better to fold the NDP into the Liberal tent if one assumes that the Liberals are the lesser evil.
Carney is a economist and has , economy wise, much to offer.
He is however a political neophyte with much to learn.
That said’; so far, so good.
Give him a year or two, we live in very different times.
The rules have changed!!!
TB