Op-Ed - Mark Carney Is Not the Change Canada Needs

As Canada faces mounting economic hardship—including soaring housing costs, rising crime rates, persistent inflation, and stagnant productivity—Mr. Mark Carney is being presented by the Liberal Party as the fresh-faced saviour the country needs. Positioned as a technocratic outsider, he is framed as the man to rescue the nation from the very crises he once warned about. But Canadians deserve to look past the polished packaging and ask: is this man truly the change we need?

Make no mistake: Mr. Carney is neither an outsider nor a neutral public servant. He served as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s close economic advisor, chaired the Liberal economic task force, and publicly embraced the party’s signature policy—carbon pricing[#1][#2]. Under his influence, Canada has seen soaring national debt, ongoing competitiveness challenges, and expanding regulatory burdens—the very consequences of policies he helped shape during his years at the helm of Liberal economic planning[#3].

Yet when it came time to make a democratic choice, that choice was taken away. In Nepean, Mr. Chandra Arya, the sitting Member of Parliament since 2015, had both his nomination and his leadership candidacy revoked on March 20, 2025—without public explanation[#4][#5]. The riding was quickly handed to Mr. Carney, shutting out local voices from any meaningful say in the process.

Globally, Mr. Carney’s résumé is undeniably impressive: central banker in Canada from 2008 to 2013, and in the UK from 2013 to 2020[#6][#7]. But before hailing him as Canada’s saviour, we must acknowledge that it was Canada’s existing banking regulations and strong federal leadership under Mr. Stephen Harper that shielded the country during the 2008 financial crisis—not one man in a suit[#8]. In the UK, he faced criticism across party lines for crossing the line between monetary policy and politics, particularly during the Brexit saga[#9][#10].

After leaving public service, Mr. Carney took a top role at Brookfield Asset Management, where he presided over Bermuda-registered funds that helped the corporation avoid paying an estimated CAD $5.3 billion in Canadian taxes between 2021 and 2024[#11][#12][#13]. While he insists these structures were legal, the effect was still tax avoidance, and public equity demands more than legal manoeuvring—it requires alignment with Canadians’ values.

The same tension appears in his climate messaging. Mr. Carney advocates strongly for renewables, carbon credits, and ESG frameworks, while Brookfield, under his stewardship, continued to profit from large-scale fossil fuel projects: coal ports, oil-sands pipelines, and even the Colonial Pipeline in the United States[#14][#15][#16]. Critics rightly call this greenwashing—profiting from the old economy while preaching the new one.

Meanwhile, trust in our institutions is eroded. Allegations surrounding SNC‑Lavalin, WE Charity, the botched ArriveCan rollout, and ongoing foreign interference investigations have cast a long shadow over public confidence. Despite being part of the same inner circle, Mr. Carney has remained silent rather than speak out or offer reform[#17][#18].

On major national files—pipelines, interprovincial trade, climate infrastructure—Mr. Carney talks big but steps back. He will say he supports national pipelines or energy projects, then turn around and defer to provincial premiers such as Mr. David Eby of British Columbia, who directly challenged federal messaging[#19]. That is not leadership; it's hedging bets.

Finally, coming into office in April 2025 amid escalating U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs, Mr. Carney promised strong retaliatory measures and robust trade negotiations. Yet months later, Canada still lacks either a comprehensive trade agreement or a decisive retaliation strategy[#20][#21]. Promises remain speeches unless matched by action.

In short, this is the same Liberal playbook with a new face. Canada doesn’t need a technocratic banker from the boardroom; we need a leader who stands for working families, demand transparency, and is ready to clean up the mess in Ottawa. Mark Carney may be a skilled banker, but Canadians aren’t hiring another boardroom technocrat—they’re choosing a leader. Based on the record, he’s not the leader Canada needs.

MLA-Works Cited

Financial Times. “Can Mark Carney win an election in Canada and a trade war with the US?” FT.com, 2025.

Washington Post. “Canada’s Carney says he’s the man for the moment. Now voters will decide.” WashingtonPost.com, 2025.

Atlantic Council. “Experts react: What Mark Carney means for the US–Canada relationship.” AtlanticCouncil.org, 2025.

CTV News. “Liberal MP Chandra Arya’s nomination to run again revoked.” CTVNews.ca, 21 Mar. 2025.

Economic Times. “Canada’s Indian‑origin MP Chandra Arya barred from running under party’s banner over alleged ties to India.” EconomicTimes.com, 26 Mar. 2025.

Reuters. “Mark Carney, crisis‑fighting central banker, to lead Canada through US trade war.” Reuters.com, 29 Apr. 2025.

Euractiv. “Canada’s new Prime Minister bears the battle scars of Brexit.” Euractiv.com, 2025.

Financial Post. “Canada’s 2008‑09 financial crisis: what really happened?” FinancialPost.com, 2023.

Wall Street Journal. “Bank of England’s Mark Carney Faces Backlash From Brexit Backers.” WSJ.com, 2016.

BBC News. “Mark Carney’s political role questioned amid Brexit turmoil.” BBC.com, 2018.

Reuters. “Brookfield nears $9 billion‑plus deal for Colonial Pipeline.” Reuters.com, 31 Mar. 2025.

National Observer. “Will Brookfield benefit if Mark Carney is elected?” NationalObserver.com, 2025.

Junonews. “Carney’s Brookfield accused of avoiding $5.3 B in Canadian taxes.” Junonews.com, 2025.

Business Wire. “Brookfield, ‘ESG Investing’ Leader, Made Billions of New Investments in Fossil Fuel Infrastructure.” BusinessWire.com, 27 June 2023.

Global Energy Monitor. “Brookfield Corporation’s Fossil Fuel Investments Undermine Climate Commitments.” GlobalEnergyMonitor.org, 2023.

Tesla Policy Blog. “ESG hypocrisy: how Brookfield profits from pipelines while touting green credentials.” TeslaPolicyBlog.org, 2024.

Globe and Mail. “ArriveCan rollout scrapped after delays, privacy concerns.” GlobeandMail.com, 2023.

CBC News. “Senate committees face criticism for delays in SNC‑Lavalin and WE Charity investigations.” CBC.ca, 2024.

The Province. “B.C. premier David Eby slams federal pipeline messaging as inconsistent.” TheProvince.com, 2025.

Reuters. “Canada’s Mark Carney faces tough US tariff problem after taking office.” Reuters.com, 12 May 2025.

Canadian Press. “Analysis: Canada still lacking strong trade agreement with U.S. months after tariff imposition.” CP24.com, 2025.