On Thursday evening, Liberal leader Mark Carney, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh gathered in Montreal for the second of two televised leaders’ debates.
The candidates sparred over several topics, including the Trump trade war, cost of living, energy projects, the environment, and public and national security.
The Hub has compiled a list of ten key quotes from the debate.
Pierre Poilievre: Only in Canada could someone start where I began and make it to this stage
“Only in Canada could someone start where I began and get to this stage. I was born to a single mother and adopted by school teachers, who raised me to believe in the incredible Canadian promise that anyone who worked hard could do anything. That promise feels broken today. Many of you worry about paying your bills, feeding your families, or ever owning a home. You’re worried your kids are in danger. But I’m here to say it doesn’t have to be this way. With change, we can restore the Canadian promise so that hard work gets you a beautiful house, on a safe street, under a proud flag.”
Mark Carney: I’m a very different person from Justin Trudeau
It may be difficult, Mr. Poilievre, you spent years running against Justin Trudeau and the carbon tax, and they’re both gone. I’m a very different person from Justin Trudeau.”
Pierre Poilievre: Different captain, same sinking Liberal ship
“Mr. Carney, Justin Trudeau staffers are actually here with you at this debate in Montreal, writing the talking points that you are regurgitating into the microphone. How can we possibly believe that you are any different than the previous 10 years of Liberal government?”
Mark Carney: I’m here because I want to solve a crisis
“One of the reasons why I entered this contest [was]’ because of the housing crisis, the cost of living crisis, the housing crisis and the Trump crisis, to help fix it. The housing approach is fundamentally different because we need a fundamentally different approach. We need to build housing at a rate that we haven’t seen since the end of the Second World War. We do need a fundamentally different approach, and with the fundamentally different approach, we can build an entirely new industry.”
Jagmeet Singh: Carney can’t be trusted to solve the housing crisis
“The problem, though, with Mr. Carney, is that while he’s laid out a plan, the problem is, when he was the chair of Brookfield investments, this is a company that made a strategic decision to buy up affordable homes in cities like Toronto, where people were paying a decent rent. And they purposely bought those homes, kicked out the tenants, and jacked up the rents. That is not someone you can trust, sadly, to deal with the housing crisis, when, Mr. Carney, you profited off of it.”
Yves-François Blanchet: Where’s your experience, Mr. Carney?
“[Mr. Carney], you say that you are a great crisis manager. Which one? I heard of nothing. As far as I know, Brexit happened, even if you were against it. You say you are a great negotiator. What have you negotiated, but fiscal paradises in Bermuda or the Cayman Islands? You have to prove something, and you have to reveal what you own in those companies if you want people to believe you.”
Mark Carney: The Charter of Rights and Freedoms exists to protect Canadians from politicians
“I think that one of the core responsibilities of the federal government, [the] prime minister, is to defend the fundamental rights and liberties of Canadians. And those fundamental rights and liberties of Canadians are outlined in our Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is 43 years old literally today. I think it’s a very dangerous slope to override judgments of the Supreme Court of Canada. In fact, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms exists to protect Canadians from people like us on the stage, politicians, who may use their power to override fundamental rights. And the issue is…not where you’ll start, but where you will stop.”
Pierre Poilievre: I will use constitutional powers to keep mass murderers in jail for life
“To be clear, I want to uphold the Charter rights of Canadians under Section 7, to life, liberty, and security of the person. Right now, that right is violated by multiple murderers who are given discounts. The case in question was a gentleman who went into a mosque and shot dead six innocent worshipers. He got, according to this ruling, only a 25-year sentence, meaning he can be out in his 50s. He only serves four years for every murder that he carried out. That is outrageous, and I will use the constitutional powers that are created for this purpose to ensure that mass murderers stay in maximum security penitentiary for life. They will only come out in a box.”
Mark Carney: Trump is trying to break us so the U.S. can own us
“He’s trying to break us so the U.S. can own us. They want our land, they want our resources. They want our water. They want our country. We’re all going to stand up against Donald Trump. I’m ready. I’ve managed crises over the years. I’ve built strong economies. We will fight back with counter tariffs. We will protect our workers and those businesses, and we will build the strongest economy.”
Pierre Poilievre: I haven’t forgotten about you
“I had a rule that at all my rallies, even when they’re really big, I would stand in front of a flag and greet every single person, and hear their stories, and learn their struggles. And that was always touching to me, that they would put their faith in me, or in any of us. But we’ve been in such a rush because we have to get off to the next event, so we haven’t been able to stop and do that. And I want you to know out there, I haven’t forgotten about you.”
Travel expenses for The Hub’s election coverage are made possible by the Public Policy Forum, the Rideau Hall Foundation, and the Michener Awards Foundation.
Élie Cantin-Nantel is The Hub’s Ottawa Correspondent. Prior to joining the team, he practiced journalism for a variety of outlets. Élie also has experience working…
