'I hope so': Marc Garneau on whether there's room for Blue Liberals like him
Former cabinet minister Marc Garneau, who describes himself in his new book as always-a-Liberal, "but a decidedly blue one," says he hopes the party still has room for someone like him.
"I hope so," Garneau told CTV's Power Play host Vassy Kapelos, when asked exactly that. "I hope that the Liberal party will continue to listen to a variety of people who are perhaps a little bit of the right of the centre and a little bit left of the centre."
"That's been, traditionally, the success, historically, of the Liberal party, the so-called wide tent, because we've made room for people with slightly different opinions, sort of clustered around the centre," he said, in an interview that aired Monday. "So I hope that that will continue to be the case."
In his new memoir, "A Most Extraordinary Ride: Space, Politics, and the Pursuit of a Canadian Dream," Garneau writes that he believes governments should provide a social safety net for "those less able to make it on their own," but also "keep deficits under control."
Garneau — a former naval officer and astronaut, and the first Canadian to go into space — was elected as a Liberal MP in 2008, later unsuccessfully ran for the party's leadership in 2013 and went on to serve in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet for six years.
He led the transport portfolio for five of those years, before taking over foreign affairs for the first nine months of 2021. After the 2021 election, Trudeau booted Garneau out of cabinet entirely.
Garneau announced his resignation from his seat and retirement from politics in 2023.
On foreign affairs, Garneau writes that the portfolio's high turnover rate — he was the fourth person in the job in five years — "definitely bothered (him) … suggesting that the prime minister did not view it seriously enough, perhaps because he felt he was really in charge of it."
When asked twice by Kapelos whether, taking those statements and factors into consideration, he ended up landing on a conclusion about whether Trudeau takes foreign affairs seriously, Garneau wouldn't say.
He initially answered that he's happy to see his successor, current Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, has been in the post for three years, adding anyone in the role needs time to develop relationships with their counterparts in other countries.
But when pressed again on whether Trudeau takes the issue seriously, Garneau said he was "not going to answer that question."
"Because, you know, I've been removed from that portfolio for three years, and I'm retired," he said. "I'm simply saying that international affairs — although Canadians are generally more focused on domestic issues, such as the cost of living and things like that — they do care about Canada's place in the world, and they like to think that we have a voice that is listened to in the world."
"And I have already told you where I think we need to do a little bit of work," he added. "And I hope that that's good advice. I hope it is."
More broadly, Garneau observes in the book that "Canada's standing in the world has slipped," that "we are losing credibility" and that "pronouncements are not always matched by a capacity to act."
Garneau in his interview also discussed his perspective on the current conflict in the Middle East, calling a two-state solution "the only viable one," and elaborated on Canada's role on the world stage, after writing in his book that "the notion that Canada punches beyond its weight hasn't been credible for a long time."
He also discussed Canada's still-unmet NATO spending target of two per cent of GDP on defence, and his concerns over military resources and readiness.
You can watch Garneau's full interview on CTV's Power Play in the video player at the top of this article.
With files from CTV News Chief Political Correspondent Vassy Kapelos
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Sparks fly as MPs question minister on pension implications of proposed election date change
Sparks flew at a parliamentary committee Thursday as MPs questioned Canada's democratic institutions minister about a widely opposed provision in electoral reform legislation that seeks to delay the next fixed election date by one week.
'There is no electricity': Canadian travellers in Cuba urge caution in hurricane's wake
Cuba's power grid was knocked out by Hurricane Rafael, which ripped across the country as a Category 3 storm. In western Cuba, it toppled buildings and pushed 50,000 people to find shelter elsewhere. Cubans were already enduring rolling blackouts due to energy shortages.
Three charged in One Direction singer Liam Payne's death
Three people have been charged in relation to One Direction singer Liam Payne's death in a fall from his Buenos Aires hotel balcony last month, Argentine authorities said on Thursday.
RCMP already 'on high alert' for potential wave of migrants after Trump election
Canada's federal police force has been preparing for months on a contingency plan for a potential massive influx of migrants across the border following Trump's promise of 'mass deportations' of millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
'There was no stopping this baby from coming': Woman gives birth while aboard Newfoundland ferry
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
Volkswagen models recalled for airbag safety precaution
Recall notices have been issued for some Volkswagen models from 2006 to 2019 for airbag safety issues.
Canmore wildlife and landscape defender Karsten Heuer dies peacefully at 56
Canmore conservationist Karsten Heuer, who was a biologist, park ranger, author and activist, has died.
America votes: How celebrities are reacting to Trump's decisive victory
Celebrities from Hulk Hogan to Ariana Grande are sharing their reactions to the U.S. election, which will see Donald Trump return to the White House.
3 Winnipeg police officers charged with breach of trust, theft
Three members of the Winnipeg Police Service have been charged with breach of trust, obstruction of justice and theft following a lengthy investigation
Local Spotlight
B.C. man discovers 115 stuffed animals hidden behind wall, begins donating them to people around world
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
'We put love into it': Group of N.S. women gather to make quilts for those in need
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
Vancouver musician lands 'meaningful interaction' with Ed Sheeran after busking outside his show
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
10K hand-knit poppies displayed at the Dartmouth Cenotaph
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
'I put my whole life on hold': B.C. man embarks on Arctic to Antarctica trek
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.
Windsor teen's shredded pepperoni pizza post goes viral
A Windsor teen’s social media post showing off a distinctive Windsor pizza topping has gone viral, drawing millions of views worldwide and sparking new curiosity about Windsor-style pizza.
'You look like me': 7-year-old who went viral for his Auston Matthews Halloween costume meets Leafs star
Auston Matthews has come face to face with his look-alike. On Thursday, the Maple Leafs star met seven-year-old Grayson Joseph, who went viral for dressing up as an Auston Matthews hockey card.
'You never know what you're going to find': Halifax junk remover shares some of his company's strangest discoveries
A Halifax junk remover shares some of his company’s strangest discoveries.
'Smiles per gallon': B.C. man creates Canadian-themed art car with stuffed moose on roof
When Leah arrived at work directing traffic around a construction site, she never expected to see a van painted in all sorts of bright colours, and covered in eclectic decorations, including a stuffed moose attached to its roof.