Mark Carney is due to advise the party on the economy next week when the Liberal caucus meets in Nanaimo, B.C.
Carney, a former governor of the Bank of Canada, has long been seen as a possible Liberal candidate or successor to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He is scheduled to address Liberal MPs on his economic and growth plans as the party meets to strategize ahead of the upcoming return of Parliament and federal election.
The Liberals are absorbing the shock waves of the NDP’s decision this week to end the Supply and Confidence Agreement that has guaranteed their government’s survival and are heading into caucus in a state of disarray after more than a year of dwindling poll numbers.
Trudeau is expected to face harsh criticism from dozens of MPs who have just spent the summer in districts where they face the real possibility of losing their seats and where Canadians showed little interest in their proposals.
Inflation and the economy
The response to the economy, particularly inflation, cost of living issues and home affordability, has dogged the Trudeau Liberals, who have struggled to garner support to counter the economic policies of Prime Minister Pierre Poirierbvre and his Conservative Party.
Carney served as Governor of the Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013 and Governor of the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020, and is currently the United Nations Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance.
Carney and Trudeau have been in talks for months about what role Carney could play in developing the party’s economic policy and policy platform for the next election.
He has long been floated as a possible Liberal candidate but has yet to seek the nomination, and is on most candidate lists as the man expected to take over as Liberal leader if Trudeau decides to step down.
Polara reporter Dan Arnold opines on how the end of the NDP-Liberal support agreement could raise the stakes as early voting begins in the LaSalle-Emaar-Verdun and Elmwood-Transcona by-elections.
