Conservatives push motion calling for Carney to testify, say it's about 'accountability'

The federal Conservatives made good on their promise to push for former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney to testify before MPs, resulting in a heated political debate in Ottawa on Tuesday.

Conservative members of the House finance committee want to invite Carney, who they repeatedly called "carbon tax Carney," to testify, under their presumption that he has "clear" intentions to run for leader of the Liberal party.

Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer said the motion is about "accountability," but debate devolved quickly into partisan jabs and extensive back-and-forth over the merits of the federal government's carbon pricing program.

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"(Carney) has no problem speaking to Liberal insiders at invitation-only events, where he gives glimpses of his policy agenda, his extreme policy agenda," Scheer said. "If Mark Carney wants to replace Justin Trudeau as prime minister and leader of the Liberal party, then he should have the courage to be held accountable."

"Canadians have a right to know what direction he would take this country," he also said.

In order for Carney to become prime minister, current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would have to step down as Liberal leader, and Carney would need to win a subsequent leadership race before the next federal election, currently slated for October 2025.

Carney — who now works as the head of transition investing for Brookfield Asset Management, and as a United Nations special envoy on climate action and finance — is not an MP. Nor has he confirmed an intention to run for the federal Liberals, despite extensive rumbling about the prospect among political watchers.

While Trudeau has repeatedly said he plans to run as leader in the next federal election, a pair of public appearances by Carney last week — delivered shortly after the federal government released its latest budget — have reignited the leadership run rumours.

In an email statement to CTVNews.ca on Tuesday, Carney said the Conservatives' decision to issue a press release last Friday, signalling their intent to move this particular motion, before extending any invitation to him, "betrays the performative nature of the request."

"I'm not interested in playing games on such important issues for Canada's economic future," he wrote. "Canadians rightly expect our elected parliamentarians to produce solutions to Canada's challenges, rather than performing political stunts or mindlessly repeating simplistic slogans."

Rebutting the Conservatives' argument, Liberal members of the committee in turn accused their opposition colleagues of "delay tactics," and using the issue to distract from the committee's work on Bill C-59, the Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023.

"It's just interesting to me that the Conservatives bring this motion now at this time, right before we're moving into clause-by-clause analysis," Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull said.

Others accused the Conservatives of misusing the committee's time.

"In proposing this motion today, the federal Conservatives are disingenuous," Liberal MP Julie Dzerowicz said. "It is not the job of finance committee to interview possible future politicians."

After accusing the Conservatives of "wasting time" and "holding up" other committee business, NDP MP Don Davies moved to adjourn debate on the motion to invite Carney, and MPs resumed clause-by-clause consideration of Bill C-59.

Conservatives then hit back in a press release, stating the "NDP block(ed) Mark Carney testimony to protect Trudeau," and "the Liberal-NDP coalition has become desperate," referring to the confidence-and-supply agreement between the two parties.

It remains unclear whether, or when, the committee will resume deliberation on the motion to have Carney, who also served as the governor of the Bank of England, testify, though he is scheduled to appear before the Senate banking, commerce and the economy committee on another matter, on May 8.