Communication has always been an underrated skill. Some politicians have the gift; many don’t but survive life in the public eye. Our prime minister does not speak elegantly, but he delivers prepared remarks surprisingly well. Lately, he has taken to YouTube as one of his speaking haunts. Many Conservatives and folks on the right have been very skeptical of the banker’s motives, intentions, and methods for taking over the Liberal Party at the nadir of its popularity. As an outspoken globalist, a member of the World Economic Forum, and a suspicious elitist to those predisposed to mistrust any member of the Laurentian Gang, Prime Minister Mark Carney comes as close as anyone to Knowlton Nash or Lloyd Robertson (nostalgic news anchors) in creating a sense of utter tranquility regardless of the information being conveyed. In a recent video addressing Canada’s energy future, clad in his usual suit, sans a tie, Carney projected strength, sober-mindedness, and impressive serenity as he shared with his fellow citizens the power Canada had to improve life for its people. On the one hand, Conservatives should be relieved that the head of the Liberal Party sounds more like Stephen Harper on economic policy than Justin Trudeau. On the other hand, they should be nervous that his ability to straddle the centre will continue to leave the right in a very muddled position as it works to regain power in Ottawa.
ENERGY SPEECH
In his YouTube speech released on June 30, Carney proposed that the restructuring of our trading system, AI’s transforming power, and climate change meant Canadians were feeling economic pain in the kitchen, at the pumps, and on the factory floor. But despite these frustrating problems, Canada had bright prospects because we had some control over our energy future. Spinning optimism in Reaganesque imagery, Carney told Canadians we could address the problems before us because we could move faster, build bigger, and work together. If a Conservative leader delivered this kind of message, the right would jump up and down, cheering. Instead, many parsed what Carney said and emphasized parts they didn’t like about climate change or Indigenous partnerships, but that misses the point. If Carney can deliver on his initiatives, Canada will be better off, and conservatives will have won the battle of ideas. It may be unsavoury that a Liberal government will once again get the credit, but if the right is as patriotic as it claims, why not celebrate Canada’s success if nothing else?
HISTORICAL PRECEDENTS
Carney emphasized three areas of crisis: affordability, security (due to conflict), and climate. Using a historical narrative, he rallied Canadians to a past that could inspire us to overcome the challenges we face. Hailing a previous generation of builders as bold and wise (can anyone imagine Justin Trudeau, never mind Jagmeet Singh or Elizabeth May, touching that idea with a ten-foot pole?), the prime minister used Sir Adam Beck as a touchstone, referring to the large statue of Beck in Toronto as a tribute to his harnessing of Niagara’s power within an 18-storey project to bring clean electricity to Canada’s industrial heartland for decades. He paid homage to Quebec’s vast power stations, Alberta’s vision to develop the oil sands, and then said one of the most honest things a Liberal prime minister has said since Lester Pearson strode the halls of Parliament. He called Pierre Trudeau’s National Energy Policy counterproductive and divisive. Paul Wells accurately described the prime minister’s words as language Westerners are not used to hearing from someone wearing an Order of Canada pin. Carney commented, “I remember how Ottawa made Albertans feel like our resources weren’t our own. And then more recently, we were made to feel that our energy contributions were running against the tides of history. What should have brought us together began to divide us, contributing to a half-century of politics that have too often pulled us apart.” The refreshing words did not go unnoticed among Albertans. A favourite son, now prime minister, had spoken on their behalf, surprisingly but authentically. He promised to lay aside those old divisions and to work to unite the country, drawing on our resources to close the gaps, bring us together, and overcome the challenges.
WHAT THIS MEANS
The realism of the moment has made Carney a good fit for a nation not ready to embrace populism, especially after watching our American neighbours experiment with it during the past decade. He made the case for conventional gas today and emphasized why building pipelines made sense during this transitional period. He marshalled the facts to highlight why and how to do this.
- Canada extracts and refines the most ethical oil in the world.
- Canada, the United States, and Russia lead the world in new oil production.
- Ninety-six per cent of the oil we export goes to the United States.
For these reasons and more, Canada has to build West Coast pipelines to move oil to Asia. Canada will also look at exporting Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to markets beyond the U.S. and support our partners so that the conflicts that arise have less sting. Carney then pivoted to electricity, nuclear power, and other options, drawing on his best instincts as an executive to reassure while also challenging Canadians. “I want to be clear on this point. The changes we have made will mean that our emissions will be higher in the next few years than they were projected to be under the previous government’s plan. But in my judgment, that plan was not sustainable over the long term. It would have been too expensive for Canadians…. It would have let down our partners…. And it would have been too divisive for our country.”
Some may accuse him of overexuberance, but he claimed that effective electrification will create good jobs for Canadians, reduce costs for seven out of 10 of us by 2050, and make our energy two to four times more efficient. By doubling our grid, we will place ourselves in a position of strength. As the on-site project manager, Carney warned against being too timid and ending up short on power. He came with a manual: link provincial needs, spread the costs out over decades, improve the approval process, partner with Indigenous groups to avoid slowdowns, and use our many resources to diversify our markets. Using oil to promise a green future may sound odd, yet it reassures Canadians that rather than relying on alternative energy sources at a specific moment (2030), a sensible overlap will ease the transition. Emphasizing the importance of trust, he reminded Canadians that our nation has earned the confidence of other countries and that we must work hard to maintain it.
REALITY BITES
In the concluding section of his remarks, Carney faced the facts we can’t escape. The United States has changed, perhaps permanently. President Donald Trump and former president Joe Biden both pursued America-first agendas on trade. There are no guarantees that things will change when Trump leaves office at the beginning of 2029. He also acknowledged that climate plans made in 2015 were suited to a different world. Canada cannot restrain growth when confronting a world less stable than at any time since the end of World War II. Emissions will increase because the alternatives are neither sustainable nor affordable. We have to support our partners who cannot count on the United States. They need our resources. To protect our freedom, we must build, develop, and use our technology to its best end. We must not only replicate Beck’s vision but also outperform it. Referring to a quote “etched in stone and set in bronze” in many National Parks, Carney again dazzles the audience with pure Canadiana, reading:
They will never know the beauty of this place,
See seasons change, enjoy nature’s chorus.
All we enjoy we owe to them,
men and women who lie buried in the earth
of foreign lands, and in the seven seas
Dedicated to the memory of Canadians
Who died overseas in the service of their country
And so preserved our heritage.
Closing, he asks us to build in their spirit, knowing it is not always easy, but Canada is worth it and always has been. Schmalzy or not, Carney keeps hitting the right tone, framing his words scrupulously and walking the tightrope of power with skill, versatility and principles that assure no foreseeable threats, making him Canada’s man for all seasons and a continuing thorn to Canadian Conservatives.
Dave Redekop is a retired elementary resource teacher who worked part-time at the St. Catharines Courthouse as a Registrar until being appointed Executive Director at Redeemer Bible Church in October 2023. He has worked on political campaigns since high school and attended university in South Carolina for five years, earning a Master’s in American History with a specialization in Civil Rights. Dave loves reading biographies.
