While campaigning during the last weekend before election day on April 28, the federal party leaders responded to comments made by Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, calling Canada an “artificial country.”
When replying to a reporters’ question at an April 25 news conference in Shawinigan, Que., Blanchet said Canada is an “artificial country with very little meaning.”
Liberal leader Mark Carney was asked about Blanchet’s comments during a stop in King City, Ont., on the morning of April 26.
“I reject them completely,” Carney said. “I’m incredibly proud to be Canadian. We have done incredible things, or those who came before us have done incredible things to create this kind diverse, ambitious, humble country.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said the Bloc leader’s statement is “insulting and false.”
“Canada is a strong, proud and sovereign country with a rich history,” he said in an April 26 post on the X platform. “As Prime Minister, I will always defend Canada and make it stronger than ever before.”
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In response to a reporter’s question during a campaign stop in London, Ont., NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Blanchet’s comment was “offensive.”
“We got Donald Trump attacking us. We don’t need attacks from the inside like that,” he said.
“Obviously, we are proud of who we are, and we want to defend our country, and we want to make our country even better, and those type of attacks are not helpful.”
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston went a step further, writing an open letter to Blanchet calling on him to either “reflect on what it means to be Canadian and take more pride and honour in being an elected official in Canada” or resign.
“I find it difficult to find the words to adequately describe how insulting this statement is to all Canadians and to our great nation,” Houston wrote in the letter which he posted on X.
“What is it about Canada that you don’t like? You have been a politician since 2008, paid by Canadians, why haven’t you done your part to work towards improving this country we should all love so dearly?”
When asked about his comment during a campaign stop on April 26 in Val d’Or, Que., Blanchet stood by what he said.
“Canada is an artificial country. It is not meant as an insult,” he said.
“It’s meant as an observation of the fact that the different regions of these countries have different issues pulled together in order to serve mainly Ontario and (with) an intention from Ottawa to concentrate powers in Ottawa instead of respecting regions.”
He also referenced former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2015 comment describing Canada as the world’s first “post-national state.”
“Quebec is anything but the post national nation. It’s a proud nation,” Blanchet said.
Campaign Enters Home Stretch
During his speech on April 26 rally, Carney focused on the issue of U.S. tariffs and President Donald Trump, saying Trump is trying to “fundamentally restructure” the global trading system and that his actions are “rupturing the global economy.”
Carney said that if elected, his party would fight back against the U.S. tariffs, protect workers and businesses, and “build, baby, build.”
He said he would fight the U.S. tariffs by doubling the pace of housing growth, building clean energy, and conventional energy, and focus on trading opportunities around the world.
He also said he would show the Americans that he was not “waiting for the phone to ring.”
“When they’re ready to have a serious discussion, we’ll have a serious discussion,” he said.
At a rally in Delta, B.C., the same day, Poilievre reiterated campaign commitments, including to keep MPs working over the summer.
“We are announcing there will be 100 days of change, 100 days. 100 days to pass three new laws: the affordable food and homes for a change act, the safe streets for a change act, and the bring home our jobs for a change act. [These] must be passed before the politicians go on summer vacation,” he said.
He repeated Conservative campaign promises to cut income tax by 15 percent, cut the industrial carbon tax, foreign aid, and the number of federal workers.
“We will cut the liberal deficit by 70 percent to bring down inflation and interest rates,” he said.
Poilievre also said his party is committed to seeing more energy projects approved, saying it will allow Canada to get resources to other countries, strengthening the Canadian dollar.
“A more powerful dollar means a more affordable life. By unlocking our resources, we’re not just creating jobs and paychecks. We’re giving you back the power, buying power.”
Singh held a rally in London, Ont., on April 25, his second time visiting the riding during the campaign. He told the crowd not to worry about strategic voting to keep the Conservatives from winning.
“This is the last stretch of this campaign, and so we got to get a couple of things straight. Talk about the elephant in the room. I know a lot of people are wondering about strategic voting,” Singh said.
“I get it, you’re worried about Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives. We are, too. We don’t want them in. Here’s the good news. Pierre is not winning this thing.”
He urged supporters to vote NDP in order to prevent the Liberals from gaining a majority, with a Conservative opposition, which he said would be “the worst of Carney and the worst of Conservatives.”
Mathew Horwood contributed to this article.
