Following a swear-in ceremony at Rideau Hall in Ottawa, Mark Carney spoke to the media for the first time as Canada's newest prime minister.
He gave some opening remarks with the new cabinet behind him before taking questions from reporters.
He gave some opening remarks with the new cabinet behind him before taking questions from reporters.
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NewsTranscript
00:00Thank you. Okay. Good effect.
00:20General's. Request that I form a
00:24government. And it's a solemn
00:26duty to serve as prime minister.
00:30The ceremony we just witnessed.
00:33Reflects. The wonder of a
00:35country. Built on the bedrock of
00:38three peoples. Indigenous. French
00:42and British. The opening and
00:45closing prayers evoke. The
00:47original stewards of this land.
00:50Remind us of the deep roots from
00:53which we grow. And underscore the
00:56values to which we aspire. The
00:59office of the governor general
01:01links us through the crown and
01:03across time to Canada's proud
01:06British heritage. In a cell
01:10money. Say they could be don't
01:13know the line official. Not
01:15identity belong new home unique.
01:20Long fancy. She that could do.
01:25On these foundations. Canadians
01:28have built a dynamic nation that
01:31celebrates its diversity that
01:33cares for the vulnerable in
01:35society. And that always strives
01:38for a better tomorrow. So new
01:41vocabulary now. A plan more
01:44can see on the no responsibility.
01:48For home for say the phone that
01:51she on the not national. The
01:53whole set trees. It for that
01:55sale in Canada. Uncle Maya.
01:59Jailer pleasure to present a
02:02liquid extraordinary. He
02:04qualified. He said for her or
02:07send them on government. A key
02:09day found that. They've had
02:11all. He knew. Okay. Not
02:16government change that on the
02:18fast song that's probably. So
02:20console to her. So listen said
02:23he adopted a you know, of course
02:26actually selects you know,
02:28hopefully they defeat the
02:30volatility. New there's all
02:32fast. Canada's new government
02:34is changing how we work so we
02:36can deliver better results
02:38faster to all Canadians. We have
02:40new ministers with new ideas
02:42ready to respond to new threats
02:44and to seize new opportunities.
02:46Canada's new government is
02:48focused on the things that
02:50matter most to Canadians.
02:52Growing more higher paying jobs,
02:55improving affordability and
02:57making Canada more secure.
03:00Canada's new government will be
03:02action oriented, driven by a
03:04smaller but highly experienced
03:06team made to meet the moment we
03:08are in. Our leaner cabinet will
03:11focus on two priorities in
03:13particular. First protecting
03:16Canadian workers and their
03:17families in the face of
03:19unjustified foreign trade
03:21actions. And second. Growing
03:24this great country by putting
03:26more money in Canadians pockets.
03:29Ensuring the government spends
03:31less so Canada can invest more.
03:34Building millions of homes.
03:37By making Canada a superpower in
03:40both conventional and clean
03:42energies. By creating new trade
03:45corridors with reliable
03:47partners. And by forging one
03:50Canadian economy out of 13. We
03:54will relentlessly pursue this
03:57positive agenda because
03:59Canadians know that negativity
04:01isn't strength. They know that
04:04negativity won't pay the rent or
04:06the mortgage. The negativity
04:08won't bring down the price of
04:10groceries. Negativity won't win
04:12a trade war. We know that by
04:15building together we can give
04:17ourselves far more than anyone
04:19else can take away.
04:21Nous sommes met chez nous.
04:23Notre pays est Canada fort. Et
04:26notre gouvernement est uni et
04:29fort. Nous commencerons
04:31immédiatement avec notre
04:33première réunion du cabinet.
04:35As soon as I respond to a few of
04:37your questions. Thank you very
04:39much.
04:40Thank you. Merci, Monsieur le
04:42Premier ministre. Nous allons
04:44maintenant passer à une période
04:46de questions de 15 minutes. On
04:48va prendre une question, une
04:50question de suivi.
04:52We'll now do a 50-minute
04:54question period. One question,
04:56one follow-up. Merci.
04:58Merci, Monsieur le Premier
05:00ministre. Nous allons maintenant
05:02passer à une période de questions
05:04de 15 minutes. Merci.
05:06Bonjour, Monsieur le Premier
05:08ministre, juste ici. Enchanté.
05:10Vous allez vous rendre en Europe
05:12au cours des prochains jours.
05:14Est-ce que vous comptez également
05:16aller aux États-Unis rencontrer
05:18Monsieur Trump avant de déclencher
05:20des élections?
05:22J'ai reçu une invitation du
05:24Monsieur le Président de la
05:26France afin d'avoir une
05:28conversation sur plusieurs
05:30enjeux, des enjeux commerciaux,
05:32des enjeux qui concernent la
05:34sécurité d'Europe, l'Ukraine,
05:36la sécurité du Canada. J'ai bien
05:38reçu une invitation, une autre
05:40invitation du Monsieur le
05:42Premier ministre du Royaume-Uni.
05:44Alors, c'est une bonne idée
05:46d'y aller parce qu'il faut
05:48que nous diversifions nos
05:50partenaires commerciaux et
05:52renforcer notre sécurité.
05:54J'aurai, j'espère, une
05:56conversation avec Monsieur
05:58le Président de la France.
06:00J'aurai une conversation avec
06:02Monsieur le Président des
06:04États-Unis, mais je n'ai pas un
06:06plan pour le moment d'y aller.
06:08Merci.
06:10I received the questions on a
06:12trip to Paris and London in a
06:14few days. I received an
06:16invitation from the President
06:18of France to discuss a variety
06:20of issues, both economic,
06:22commercial, to reinforce those
06:24relationships, also issues
06:26related to security in Europe,
06:28in Canada. Similar discussions
06:30will be had with the Prime
06:32Minister in the United Kingdom.
06:34This is sensible. Security is a
06:36priority for this government,
06:38reinforcing our security, as is
06:40diversifying our trading and
06:42commercial relationships. Of
06:44course, with both Europe and the
06:46United Kingdom, there are many
06:48opportunities, and as I said a
06:50moment ago in my remarks, there
06:52are historic ties. With respect
06:54to the President, I don't have
06:56plans to go to the United States.
06:58I look forward to speaking to him
07:00at the appropriate moment. Thank
07:02you.
07:04Mr. Carney, Monsieur Rubio,
07:06Marco Rubio, ce matin dans
07:08Charlevoix, il a essentiellement
07:10répété les propos de Donald Trump
07:12selon qui le Canada économiquement
07:14serait mieux en tant que 51e
07:16État. En tant que Premier
07:18Ministre, qu'est-ce que vous
07:20répondez à ces propos du
07:22Secrétaire d'État américain
07:24?
07:26C'est fou, hein. C'est fou.
07:28C'est simple. C'est fou.
07:30Point final.
07:32It's crazy.
07:34His point is crazy?
07:36That's it.
07:38Question?
07:40Hi, Prime Minister. Tom Perry
07:42with CBC. Can I ask you what your
07:44plans are for the next few weeks?
07:46Are you going to be bringing back
07:48the House? Are you going to be
07:50calling an early election? And if
07:52so, what are your plans for the
07:54next few weeks?
07:56Well, I certainly should expect
07:58to go to the polls before
08:00November. And the news today is
08:02behind me. An exceptional group
08:04of individuals who are serving
08:06Canada, united, focused
08:08Cabinet, focused on action,
08:10focused on the issues for
08:12Canadians. We are, as I said a
08:14moment ago, we will be going to
08:16take some decisions which
08:18directly meet some of the
08:20objectives I set out in my
08:22remarks and we've been
08:24discussing. That's the news for
08:26today. There will be other news
08:28in the coming days with respect
08:30to ensuring that we have as
08:32strong a mandate that is needed
08:34for the time. Thank you.
08:36And when you're in Europe, are
08:38you going to be seeking
08:40assurances from Canada's allies
08:42that this country will never
08:44become America's 51st state?
08:46And when would it be an
08:48assurance to the U.S.
08:50President?
08:52Well, I've been clear.
08:54Personally, I've been clear.
08:56The ministers behind me, I
08:58think, to an individual, when
09:00asked, have been clear that we
09:02will never, ever, in any way,
09:04shape or form, be part of the
09:06United States. America is not
09:08Canada. Look at the ceremony we
09:10just had. You could not have
09:12had that ceremony. You would
09:14not have that ceremony in
09:16America. You do not have that
09:18cabinet in America. We are a
09:20very fundamentally different
09:22country. So irrespective,
09:24irrespective of any issues
09:26economically, fundamentally to
09:28our core, to our identity,
09:30c'est une des raisons, is one
09:32reason why we have a minister,
09:34and I will thank Mr. Guilbault
09:36to be our minister of Canadian
09:38identity and culture and
09:40bringing in all those aspects
09:42and reinforcing them.
09:44So before we get to the
09:46economics of it, we won't be
09:48part of it. And when we get to
09:50the economics, and the
09:52president is a successful
09:54businessperson and deal-maker,
09:56we're his largest client in so
09:58many industries. As the
10:00minister of finance and the
10:02minister of industry,
10:04Monsieur Leblanc and
10:06Monsieur Champagne have made
10:08this point. And I think
10:10it's important that we
10:12respect each other. And
10:14clients expect respect and
10:16working together in a proper
10:18commercial way. So the nature
10:20of Canada means we won't.
10:22The economics means we
10:24shouldn't. And what you will
10:26see from this government is
10:28focusing on building here at
10:30home, building with different
10:32partners abroad, and that
10:34will reinforce the point.
10:36We're doing it for our own
10:38reasons, to be clear.
10:40For our own people, for the
10:42high-paying jobs. But
10:44eventually the truth will out
10:46and the Americans will
10:48understand as well. Thank you.
10:50I don't think we need to hear
10:52it. We're masters in our own
10:54home. We're in charge.
10:56We're in charge. It's always
10:58nice when people say nice
11:00things about you, but we don't
11:02need it. We're not seeking it.
11:04The discussions I will have on
11:06behalf of the government in
11:08Paris and in London will relate
11:10to opportunities that both our
11:12countries share as well as our
11:14shared history.
11:17Mr. Premier, Valérie Gamache
11:19from Radio-Canada.
11:21Nice to meet you.
11:25You don't have ministers from
11:27Alberta who have a
11:29circumscription in Alberta.
11:31Is it because you're thinking
11:33about introducing yourself in
11:35an Albertan circumscription?
11:37You're right that I grew up in
11:39Alberta and launched my
11:41campaign in Edmonton.
11:43That's for sure.
11:45It's not the time to announce
11:47my circumscription.
11:49Do you have a question?
11:51It's a question.
11:53I'm complimenting the
11:55journalists from Radio-Canada,
11:57and I would like to compliment
11:59the very existence of Radio-
12:01Canada, and I'd like to
12:03reinforce that my government
12:05would be reinforcing it.
12:07It goes back to Canadian
12:09identity culture.
12:11This is away from the news, but
12:13the broader sense.
12:15So I'll finish the answer.
12:17I compliment the question.
12:19She's recognizing that I grew
12:21up in Alberta.
12:23I launched my campaign in
12:25Alberta.
12:27I'm just reinforcing today.
12:29Today, the story is behind me,
12:31and there will be more news
12:33because those behind me will be
12:35taking some important decisions
12:37this afternoon.
12:39You've been named the official
12:41language, but the official
12:43name doesn't appear in the
12:45Minister's name, Mr. Guilbeault.
12:47You've replaced heritage with
12:49Canadian identity.
12:51Is there a message for Quebec?
12:53Not at all.
12:55It's a reinforcement of our
12:57identity.
12:59French is part of Canadian
13:01identity, and Mr. Guilbeault,
13:03he's an exceptional minister,
13:05but he now has the responsibility
13:07for the official languages.
13:09But this question of Canadian
13:11identity is broader than our
13:13official language.
13:15It's broader than our heritage.
13:17It exists now.
13:19We reinforce, we build, we
13:21build Canadian identity.
13:23That includes...
13:25That's the key.
13:27Canadian identity includes
13:29our heritage.
13:31That's the key.
13:33That's the key.
13:35That includes nature.
13:37And one of Mr. Guilbeault's
13:39responsibilities is to pick up
13:41all our responsibilities
13:43regarding nature,
13:45biodiversity, our oceans,
13:47and to protect them
13:49and promote them.
13:53Next question.
13:55Prime Minister Carney,
13:57first off, congratulations.
13:59Second, David Baxter,
14:01Canadian Press.
14:03The Canadian consumer carbon
14:05tax is set to increase once
14:07again.
14:09You've talked about getting rid
14:11of it.
14:13How are you going to do it in
14:15the next two weeks?
14:17How are we going to do it by
14:19the end of the day?
14:21That's a great question.
14:23And we'll come right back to
14:25you on that following the
14:27Cabinet meeting.
14:29Better follow-up than that.
14:31President Trump needs to show
14:33Canada respect.
14:35You said that again just now.
14:37Are you not going to speak with
14:39President Trump until he cuts
14:41out this 51st state talk?
14:43I look forward to speaking with
14:45President Trump, just to be
14:47clear.
14:49We respect the United States.
14:51We respect President Trump.
14:53President Trump has put some
14:55very important issues at the
14:57top of his agenda.
14:59We understand the importance of
15:01addressing the scourge of
15:03fentanyl, which is a challenge
15:05here in Canada as well as the
15:07United States.
15:09And I would say that the
15:11measures that have been put in
15:13place in recent weeks in Canada
15:15and Mexico, also the United
15:17States, means that we are making
15:19tremendous progress.
15:21I'll speak specifically against
15:23fentanyl.
15:25We understand the importance
15:27we put on Canadian workers and
15:29Canadian jobs.
15:31And we will look for avenues to
15:33work together so that both
15:35objectives are met in terms of
15:37both our great economies, just
15:39as we are doing, and the people
15:41behind me have led this, just as
15:43we are doing with respect to the
15:45scourge of fentanyl.
15:49Hi, Prime Minister Carney.
15:51I'm Jillian Piper with Global
15:53News.
15:55My question is about the assets
15:57in a blind trust.
15:59I wanted to ask you what is the
16:01value of the assets and where did
16:03they come from?
16:05How can Canadians know that
16:07there's no conflict of interest
16:09if they don't know where the
16:11assets come from?
16:13That's an odd question or odd
16:15way of framing it.
16:17The assets are in a blind trust.
16:19And can I point out that for
16:21those who don't follow this, I
16:23would like to reassure you that
16:25those assets are in a blind
16:27trust.
16:29By definition, you don't know
16:31the assets because the trustees
16:33take over the responsibility.
16:35I would like to reassure you
16:37that the assets that I have were
16:39earned through employment,
16:41employment income, employment as
16:43a public servant, and employment
16:45in the private sector.
16:47And I would note as well that
16:49employment in the private sector
16:51is not something that I have
16:53experienced.
16:55And I would point as well that
16:57complying or meeting standards
16:59expected of a leader of a party,
17:01let alone a prime minister, is
17:03something that the leader of
17:05opposition is not respected
17:07either, and I'm speaking
17:09directly with respect to his
17:11refusal still at a time of great
17:13crisis to get his security
17:15clearance, something I managed
17:17to do in two weeks.
17:19I had jobs in the private sector,
17:21in the public sector, and I have
17:23assets now, and it's in a
17:25fiduciary, a fiduciary with,
17:27in fact, I don't know the
17:29composition of the assets anymore.
17:31That's the point.
17:33And I put my business in a position
17:35in a position in which I don't
17:37know the composition of the
17:39assets.
17:41I don't know the composition of
17:43the assets.
17:45I don't know the composition of
17:47the assets.
17:49I don't know the composition of
17:51the assets.
17:53It's something that I put in
17:55a position, in terms of fiduciary
17:57with before being prime minister,
17:59before being prime minister, I
18:01would have a hundred or
18:03120 days to do that.
18:05And the leader of the opposition
18:07is unable.
18:09He refuses to be, probably,
18:11to have his security clearance
18:13done and he refuses to have his
18:15I don't want to have to go through the same thing again.
18:24Prime Minister, you keep pointing at the group behind you, your new Cabinet.
18:28There's only two representatives from the West.
18:32What's your message to Western Canada?
18:35So the numbers in the Cabinet are all necessarily smaller because the Cabinet is much smaller.
18:42And the Cabinet is much smaller because it's focused on the issues that are most important to Canadians,
18:49meeting the moment, and the moment is a moment of crisis.
18:53We have very capable, exceptional members from Western Canada in there,
19:01as well as deputies from the West.
19:05But look, it's a factor when you reduce things down.
19:09And I'm Prime Minister of all of Canada, of course, and I'm from the West.
19:16And I would note, maybe as well, and this is a challenge I think we have.
19:22I'll just make a general point.
19:25Let's take an example of Christian Freeland.
19:28Exceptional minister, exceptional public service.
19:31Christian Freeland lives in Toronto.
19:33Christian Freeland is from the West.
19:35Christian Freeland is from Alberta.
19:37He doesn't get classified in a way that limits the breadth of experience.
19:42I could give you many examples of the pan-Canadian nature of this Cabinet.
19:47Last question and follow-up.
19:50Todd Ramsey with the Toronto Star.
19:51Prime Minister, speaking of your Cabinet, the front line of your Cabinet
19:55and the vast majority of your Cabinet were all ministers during Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's time.
20:00How does this represent change?
20:02Well, there's a couple of things.
20:05One is this first thing, smaller Cabinet, more focused, focused on action.
20:11Everybody in this Cabinet is senior.
20:13Everybody in this Cabinet is senior,
20:15so I don't accept the implication that there's a front line and another line.
20:19The second thing is one of the top issues, of course,
20:25is the crisis with respect to the United States
20:28and the opportunity with respect to trade diversification.
20:31So keeping together those individuals who have been on,
20:37and now I'm going to use your term, the front line,
20:40but the front line in a commercial battle,
20:42keeping together those individuals so that we are seamlessly addressing these issues
20:47and seizing the opportunities was very important to us,
20:50and that's reflected in the Cabinet.
20:52But, of course, it's reflected fundamentally in their capabilities,
20:57which are here for the moment.
21:00And on President Trump, what makes you think you personally
21:03would be better fit to handle him than Trudeau was,
21:06and why do you think he'll have more respect for you than he did for him?
21:09Look, I'm not going to put myself in to represent President Trump in any way, shape, or form.
21:19President Trump and I, though, we share some experiences.
21:24I have been in the private sector.
21:26I have worked in the real estate sector.
21:28I have done large transactions.
21:31I have worked with him during his first presidency at the G20, at the G7.
21:39I respect what he is looking to accomplish,
21:42and we have built a base through the interactions that we've had,
21:47including as of yesterday with the meetings of the Minister of Finance.
21:53I'll say, because their roles have slightly changed,
21:55Monsieur Champagne and Monsieur Leblanc,
21:59and Premier Ford with the Secretary of Commerce,
22:03as well as the meetings that the Minister of Foreign Affairs had with her G7 counterparts,
22:08including Secretary Rubio.
22:09So we are building that base.
22:13But in many respects, part of my experience overlaps with that of the President.
22:19We'll both be looking out for our countries.
22:22But he knows, and I know from long experience,
22:25that we can find mutual solutions that win for both.
22:35As far as Mr. Trump is concerned,
22:40he and I have similar experiences in the private sector.
22:46For example, investment in the real estate sector, for example.
22:53I know him, and I have worked with him, or for him, in fact,
22:58because he was chief of staff during his first term,
23:04in order to settle things in the financial sector at the G20 level.
23:10But what is important is that Canada has made progress
23:16in the discussions of Monsieur Champagne, Madame Jolie, Monsieur Leblanc,
23:22with their counterpart.
23:25So there is a base that exists,
23:28and we need to find solutions from that.
23:33Merci.