Carney accused of wanting a 'free ride,' 'hiding' from public amid latest campaign break

Ian Froese · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 12, 2025 2:35 PM EDT | Last Updated: 35 minutes ago

Two federal enactment leaders took purpose Saturday astatine Mark Carney, whom polls suggest is the front-runner successful the April 28 election, for erstwhile again skipping the run trail.

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet accused the Liberal person of trying to capitalize connected his aboriginal momentum by coasting done the opening 3 weeks of the campaign.

"I judge that Mr. Carney is trying to get a escaped ride," helium said astatine an announcement successful Trois-Rivières, Que., alleging the Liberals are trying to "hide him arsenic overmuch arsenic possible."

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, speaking successful his ain Ottawa riding of Carleton, besides accused Carney of "hiding again."

Carney paused his run for the 3rd clip Thursday to thin to his premier ministerial duties successful response to the ongoing U.S. commercialized war.

He returned to Ottawa to convene a gathering with his Canada-U.S. furniture council. He concisely spoke to reporters aft the Friday meeting and past near without taking questions.

WATCH | Blanchet says Liberals trying to fell Carney from scrutiny: 

Spoke with NATO head

Carney isn't holding immoderate nationalist events connected Saturday, but successful the afternoon he wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that he'd been speaking with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the morning.

He went connected to constitute that "Canada's committedness to the confederation is ironclad" and that helium would boost defence spending.

That aforesaid afternoon, the Liberals quoted Carney successful a enactment quality merchandise astir a caller summertime discount programme for nationalist parks and free younker entree to nationalist galleries and museums.

Prior to Carney addressing his whereabouts Saturday, Blanchet said the limiting of the Liberal leader's nationalist appearances — combined with the abbreviated five-week run —means Carney is "as seldom seen arsenic possible, saying arsenic small arsenic possible, and hiding arsenic overmuch arsenic possible."

Also speaking earlier Carney made his statements, Poilievre said the Liberal person had been "in hiding contiguous and yesterday."

Carney was "trying to marque Canadians forget," Poilievre added, that lodging costs person soared and nutrient slope lineups person gotten longer.

3rd run pause

Before this week, Carney had interrupted his run doubly successful bid to respond to Trump's tariff threats.

His first interruption in precocious March was meant to crippled Canada's effect to the imposition of tariffs connected automotive imports.

Carney later pivoted from the run way up of wide "retaliatory" tariffs Trump inflicted connected dozens of countries but ultimately not Canada.

His 3rd tariff-related run pause comes amid sliding banal markets but nary worldly alteration to the existing tariffs hitting Canada.

Meanwhile, the leaders of Conservatives and Bloc Québécois each made nationalist appearances and answered questions on Saturday.

Poilievre announced a scope of supports for veterans, including streamlining disablement benefits, ending the clawbacks connected veterans' pensions if they instrumentality a backstage assemblage occupation and prioritizing veterans for nationalist work jobs.

Blanchet demanded Quebec beryllium compensated for Ottawa's upcoming carbon taxation rebate since the April payout is being financed by taxpayers — rather than c taxation revenues —  as the levy has already been eliminated.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh isn't making immoderate announcements Saturday.