OTTAWA — Controversial statements from the past came back to haunt two major parties on the federal election trail this week, costing each a candidate.
A Liberal incumbent bowed out of the campaign late Monday after suggesting that another candidate be turned over to Chinese officials, while the Conservatives dropped a nominee who joked that former prime minister Justin Trudeau should be executed.
With the prospect of another wave of U.S. tariffs this week looming over the election, the party leaders tried to stay focused on the cost of living and the economy.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to slap “reciprocal tariffs” on multiple countries — including Canada — in response to various alleged trade practices.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre promised support for the oil and gas industry at a press conference in St. John’s, N.L.
In Edmonton, the NDP’s Jagmeet Singh pledged support for public health care, while Liberal Leader Mark Carney visited Winnipeg to highlight measures to help families.
Carney’s campaign has been distracted for a few days over questions about Paul Chiang, the incumbent MP in Markham – Unionville, and comments he made in January that a political opponent could be turned over to Chinese authorities in return for a bounty.
Carney denounced the comments but stood firmly by Chiang for several days. But Chiang announced his exit late Monday, saying he doesn’t “want there to be distractions” as the Liberal leader and other concerned Canadians work to stand up to Trump and protect the economy.
Chiang made the remarks about Conservative candidate Joe Tay three months ago at a press conference with the Chinese-language newspaper Ming Pao.
Hong Kong police have offered a reward of HK$1 million, or about C$180,000, for information leading to the arrest of six activists, including Tay, who is running in Toronto’s Don Valley North.
The Toronto Association for Democracy in China said in a news release that Chiang told attendees at a press conference: “To everyone here, you can claim the one-million-dollar bounty if you bring (Tay) to Toronto’s Chinese consulate.”
Chiang apologized on social media Friday, saying the comments were “deplorable” and that he should have known better.
Carney said Chiang’s comments were offensive and a “terrible lapse of judgment” but backed his candidate, calling him a “person of integrity” who had served his community as a police officer.
On Monday evening, the RCMP said in an email that they were “looking into the matter, however no specific details can be provided at this time.”
Poilievre confirmed Tuesday that the Conservatives had dropped Mark McKenzie as the candidate in the southern Ontario riding of Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore.
The Tories cut ties with McKenzie, a city councillor in Windsor, after CTV News pointed out remarks he made in 2022 on a now-defunct comedy podcast.
CTV said McKenzie voiced his support for “public hangings” and included Trudeau’s name on a list of people he felt should receive the death penalty.
“He’s gone,” Poilievre said as he left an event Tuesday in Petty Harbour, N.L., adding that Mackenzie’s comments were “unacceptable.”
In St. John’s, Poilievre promised to enact five recommendations put forward by the country’s energy sector if his party forms government.
In an open letter drafted just before the election campaign, the heads of 14 energy companies called on party leaders to capitalize on increasing public support for expanding the sector in the face of U.S. tariffs.
Poilievre repeatedly took aim at Carney, accusing the Liberal leader of blocking the energy sector’s ambitions.
“We need to bring dollars and jobs home so that we can be strong enough to stand up to Donald Trump,” Poilievre said. “Carney has the wrong plan, and our blessed country needs a new leader and a new change so that we can reverse course.”
Carney turned the focus of his campaign to affordability, saying Canadians face the “biggest crisis of our lifetimes” as Trump tries to restructure the U.S. economy and weaken Canada.
He said his government would make life more affordable for Canadians by cutting taxes, building homes and maintaining existing programs for child care and dental care.
Singh said Canada’s health-care system would not be for sale with the New Democrats in charge.
The NDP leader promised to crack down on so-called cash-for-care clinics that charge Canadians for basic services.
Singh pushed back against what he called “American-style health care” in a media statement. “Canadians believe in care over profit, and we’ll always stand up to protect our public health-care system.”
The NDP promises to ban American corporations from buying up Canadian health-care facilities.
— With files from Sarah Ritchie and Craig Lord in Ottawa, Morgan Lowrie in Montreal, Alessia Passafiume in Winnipeg and Sarah Smellie in St. John’s
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2025.
Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press
