Friday, November 10, 2023

Will It Be Carney?

People are talking about Mark Carney. Max Fawcett writes:

Over the last week, two things have become abundantly obvious to anyone watching Canadian politics. First, Justin Trudeau is in deep, deep trouble — deeper even than the SNC-Lavalin scandal or the revelation of his Blackface photos in 2019. And second, Mark Carney’s interest in his job is much more than just a rumour. As Carney told the Globe and Mail, running for Trudeau’s job isn’t a decision he’s ruled out. In the dialect of aspiring political leaders, that’s as close an answer to “hell yes” as you’re going to get.

You just can't walk in and take over a political party. Michael Ignatieff proved that:

Carney is no Ignatieff, though. For one thing, his stint as governor of the Bank of England was a blip compared to the decades Ignatieff spent living and working outside Canada. More importantly, his field of expertise just so happens to align with the Trudeau Liberals’ Achilles heel: the economy.

As a recent Abacus Data poll showed, 43 per cent of respondents think Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is better at managing the economy, with just 28 per cent saying the same about Trudeau. And Poilievre’s steadfast refusal to talk about anything other than the economy reflects what the Toronto Star’s Susan Delacourt describes as “the core belief among his inner circle that the next election will be fought and won on the economy and little else.”

Justin could do for Carney what Lester Pearson did for Justin's father:

By breaking in Carney the way Lester Pearson did with his own father back in 1965, letting him run for office and then appointing him to a key cabinet role (like, say, finance minister), Trudeau can benefit from his economic gravitas without having to hand over the reins. That would protect his party’s base of support in Quebec, without which re-election is impossible, and allow the Liberals to start pushing in Ontario, B.C., and other key parts of English Canada. He could let Carney take Poilievre into the deeper end of the economic pool and see if he actually knows how to swim. If it works, the leadership question will eventually answer itself — just as it did with Pierre Trudeau and Lester Pearson.

It would all take some careful choreography. Stay tuned.

Image: Financial Post

8 comments:

Cap said...

So 43% think Mr. Bitcoin would be better on the economy?! Looks like Trudeau's biggest gaffe wasn't SNC-Lavalin or blackface, but legalizing weed!

Owen Gray said...

The biggest difference between Poilievre and Carney is that Carney is smart, Cap. Poilievre isn't.

Northern PoV said...

I have to admit that I think Lil'PP is pretty smart.

What Lil'PP lacks (and Carney seems to have lots of - but it's wait-and-see at this point) is intelligence.

"The capacity to acquire knowledge and abilities is the distinction between smart and intelligent. Smart is a status or characteristic that can be earned by studying or learning anything, whereas intelligence is a trait that people are born with."

Lil'PP has obviously 'learned' lots about politics and modern communication.

Personally I don't think we've had a highly intelligent PM since the Pearson/Trudeau-Sr. years and the good things about Canada are mostly legacies from that era.


Owen Gray said...

Our politicians these days are hucksters, PoV. The best and brightest have chosen other professions.

MoS said...

A star in the east?

Owen Gray said...

I believe his roots are in Alberta, Mound. But he seems to be far from provincial.

e.a.f. said...

OMG, Carney has aged.
However, he is most likely the best shot of getting the Liberals re elected. Carney is smart, Pierre P, not so much and PP is always angry. He doesn't look like a pleasant person. As Conservatives become more and more right wing and lets not forget the UPC, it may have a negative impact on the Conservatives chances of becoming the winners in the next election.,
As Smith prepared to dismantle the alberta health care system and perhaps sell part of it off, it may negativley impactthe Conservatives in the next federal elections. I'm just waiting for one of those Conservatives or UPC to make an anti abortion rights comment. All the other parties will use it in their ads against the Cons.
The election of Pierre is not a done deal.

Owen Gray said...

I agree, e.a.f. Poilievre's election is not a sure thing.