By Pepper Parr
March 14th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
The surprise for us was the decision to drop Burlington MP Karina Gould from the Cabinet and replace her with Arielle Kayabaga, as leader of the government in the House of Commons and minister of democratic institutions.
Arielle Kayabaga, leader of the government in the House of Commons and minister of democratic institutions.
Those were Ministries Gould held and did a good job.
Burlington MP Karina Gould with then Prime Minister designate Mark Carney in Hamilton speaking to steel workers.
Gould appeared with now Prime Minister Mark Carney at an event in Hamilton where he was talking to steel workers two days ago.
Will the being dumped from Cabinet impact Gould’s re-election in the federal election expected before the end of the month?
Emily Brown, the Conservative candidate, will certainly strive to make the best of this information.
Gould took the seat from Conservative Mike Wallace in 2015 and has held it with increasing majorities.
However, Gould’s votes from Burlington Liberal in the leadership debate were stunningly low. Was this due to a low turnout or have the Liberals in Burlington turned against Gould?
This will sound contrarian, but I would like to see Parliament resume. If the Liberals do not have the confidence of the House then let the opposition parties cause an election. Waiting until October would provide the electorate an opportunity to see the effectiveness of Carney as Prime Minister. Yes, he will not have a seat in the House, but he will be free to run his cabinet. Timely results are what matters now. Carney would have six months to show, as they say in shows business, his chops.
There is risk in reading too much into Karian Gould and Marc Miller both highly competent ministers not being in this trade war cabinet that is purely focused on the critical issues of Trump, tariffs and annexation threats. Post election could both be in cabinet
The trade war cabinet – and make no mistake – we’re in a trade war that Trump’s first tariffs were not supposed to be a part of. In April all countries will face US imposed tariffs as part of their strategy to bring back manufacturing jobs and lower taxes and their massive debt both of which don’t make sense as customers pay tariffs not governments.
Prof Jeremy Siegel, Wharton says this:
“You’re going to bring 100,000 manufacturing back to the US and tank the stock market by $20 trillion. How many jobs is that? Less than one tenth of 1%. So they’re going to get a little higher pay than they would otherwise. Where’s the politics there.”
The percent reference is that that number of manufacturing jobs out of all US jobs is that low.
Agree.
The fact that only 3.2% of Liberals voted for her candidacy for leader, along with not being selected to join our new PM’s cabinet, will seriously damage her chances of being re-elected in Burlington. Like Icarus, she went for it, and lost.
Anne and Dave hit it on the head, others get it too. I have always been a Liberal, economist by education, so I always saw the central role of government in ensuring people always get taken care of, and share in the good and bad.
I liked how Pierre Trudeau filled the PM role. I liked how all governments built the education and student support system, people support, and healthcare that I benefited from greatly, and made the life I have possible. But that was a different time – no Trump.
But now everyone must truly wake up to the facts. This obviously is war with an economic front invasion full on. I like the way Carney put it – Trump talk and threats are crazy, just crazy, that’s it. Now is a time to get right to a countervailing strategy and plan. We can’t spend any time being nice by farting around trying to think this is even possible or acceptable, and so actually talk about a maybe this existential threat with a crazy man.
A New York Times opinion piece calls this self imposed mind-bending a state they coined – “Trump Derangement Syndrome”. We have no time to go there.
As said, this is a War cabinet, and Carney’s competency and background really has no time, to waste time – Preoccupied with unacceptable crap.
He said in another story here – “Carney said his government will have two priorities, to protect jobs in the face of “unjustified trade actions” and make life more affordable by “ensuring that government spends less, so Canada can invest more.
We have to move together, no bitching, Carney has the know-how. It’s not just classed as centrist, but war economics.
Editor’s note: Just because Kool Aid is available – doesn’t mean you have to drink it.
War cabinet Tom? Oh, please there are practically no Canadians alive including me that know what war is.
Tom appears to think Carney will be Prime Minister for another ten years, drink some more of that Kool-Aid.
Carneys tenure will come to an end when the writ drops next week when he returns from his visiting his European home.
As far as I go, you do not know what your talking about. I do wish you would stop your repetitive insulting comments with your know it all attitude. It can go both ways you know.
Trump is on the economic war path all around the world. You can have your opinion, but you have no right to try and rewrite mine with your expert try. I am a war baby.
You know nothing about how long Carney will last, and neither do I. Justin only lasted 9 years. So if you can’t talk something that sounds intelligent, and not just sarcastic nonsense, please shut your face when you come after me with arrogance.
I see this time as not normal and is a time to be serious – I have been here before..
You seem to be drinking your own Kool Aid . With your attitude that you know all the truth, you have to be on something like that
Gould is fortunate to not be associated with this grifter who used his relationships and the weakness of other candidates to “fake” his way into the job.
Let’s not waste a lot of time congratulating ourselves over this “appointment”.
Despite his list of titles and roles ( none of which are historic in any manner ), Canada and Gould should remember :
Recently unearthed photographs from 2013 show Carney alongside Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later convicted as an accomplice to Jeffrey Epstein. These images have resurfaced online, prompting scrutiny over Carney’s past associations,
In 2015, Carney was indirectly involved in a scandal where a Canadian journalist was dismissed for brokering art deals and receiving undisclosed commissions.
He has close relationships with prominent U.S. Democrats, such as advisor John Podesta ( H Clinton). His connections to Gerald Butts, a former advisor to ex-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and associations with firms like Eurasia Group—which secured significant consulting contracts with the Canadian government—have led to questions about potential conflicts of interest.
As governor of the bank of England he failed to anticipate inflationary trends and that steps he took contributed to additional economic challenges, he was outspoken about Brexit …not his role.
He was criticized over lavish spending (£300.000 housing allowance)
His continues to push for climate finance and supports environmental policies that will harm key Canadian industries, particularly oil and gas.
Let’s not forget his Brookfield ties.
These issues should sparked debate about whether he is truly acting in the public interest
Not exactly “squeaky clean”.
Editor’s Note: Not exactly “squeaky clean” is putting it lightly – what were the options? Freeland – who couldn’t get beyond the smarmy smile she held during the swearing in – Baylis who had potential but waited far too long to get into the race. It is now clear that the country just didn’t buy into what Gould had to offer. She is young enough to be available if the Carney story turns out to be less than what we need.
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I won’t say much about Pepper’s comment about grifter, and waste my time on his accusation that I like Kool Aid. I think for my self.
Wayne Sloan and Pepper, in my opinion, is commenting in the past, in what is known as “normal times”, when things were just the way things were done without Trump on the scene.
This is now War, and I will be watching to hold everyone accountable. I want to judge for myself for how Carney gets it together for the election and then to get the Canadian economy on a war fitting, not a “normal basis.
I appreciate Karina Gould, but the vote for Carney was obvious. Give him a chance before you call him names. Live in the present, in the now, in the War cabinet, and get serious to see what is done. We don’t, and cannot wisely, live, in Sloan’s frame of the past, only now in the war economy.
With all due respect, Tom, Mark Carney is an elitist, policy wonk, who has never fought in the trenches. As Karina Gould has been quoted as saying, “you don’t bring a toaster to a knife fight”. Pierre Poilievre, whether you like him or not & most don’t, is a street fighter. Hopefully the Canadian electorate will understand & appreciate the difference.
Here and I thought it was Gray Poupon,
The why? Anyone that sincerely believe the Liberal Party under Trudeau or Carney are feminists are delusional.
She lost out dramatically on the leadership race…
She lost her Cabinet position..
Burlington will not elect a loser…
Why do we continue to read your political opinions? Your take on the provincial election was wrong, your take on the US election was wrong and your analysis of Gould’s leadership chances missed the mark by about 82% of the votes.
Carol Victor’s “Karina is a real Liberal while Prime Minister Carney will be more centrist” shows that she doesn’t understand what a true Liberal is – which is certainly more centrist. Gould is a Trudeau Liberal which is a woke socialist and left of the NDP. She deserves to be dumped. Tie ourself to the wrong coat tails, follow the leader blindly like a puppy and that’s what happens. Good Riddance!!
Carol perhaps you don’t understand this is a war cabinet and must be lean and concentrate on the crisis. Gould never achieved what Trudeau said she would as Minister of Democratic Institutions. Start thinking about and supporting our new Prime Minister in the decisions of what is best in the crisis at hand rather than talking missed opportunity. 86% of liberals who voted are doing just that along with those who will now vote Liberal because of who is at the helm because he is the best chance we have of economic survival in the shortest time possible.
Angie, I guess you prefer a woman whose hobby is target shooting rather than helping to develop policies like $10 a day daycare, dental care etc.. for those who need it, etc.
Karina is not far left of the NDP and is not a socialist. Like many Americans I think you need a lesson in Socialism .
Marsdens I am well aware of the type of cabinet Carney put in place and am only hoping there will be a place for our well deserved MP in the next go around
I fully support both Carney and Karina Gould.
Carol – what exactly is wrong with skeet (not target) shooting? It is a skilled sport and hurts no one and no thing. I am a Liberal but I dislike sloppy and dishonest associations. And Ms. Brown was not in the government so she had no chance to develop social policy. How do you think Ms. Gould did as Minister of Democratic Institutions? How well did she acquit herself with the Immigration portfolio? Not well I think. I fully support Carney as well and believe that he was exceedingly wise not to elevate Gould to Cabinet. He chose a war cabinet of steeled individuals not lap dog water carriers.
The fact that there were fewer votes in her riding isn’t, I believe about her, but rather about the view of many at this time that Canada needs a name known widely outside Canada because of Down South Donald. I became only more impressed by her and her supporters during the campaign and look forward to seeing more of her. She’d be a brilliant link to Mexico.
Graham,your comment about backing a loser is interesting, the Conservative Emily Brown lost in the last election!
Expect Gould to get more votes rather than less with the huge percentage vote for Carney, regardless of her not making it to Cabinet. We are hearing of staunch Conservatives wanting Carney to sort out this huge economic crisis we have been sledge hammered with. Trudeau should have resigned long ago.
We are out of country and the verification process for leadership voting was cumbersome to say the least, we tried for a solid week but could not get our documents scanned.
Karina is a real Liberal while Prime Minister Carney will be more centrist. As house speaker for the Liberals she did a great job in a highly visible portfolio. Not giving her a cabinet position in my opinion, was a missed opportunity to support the youth segment of the Liberal Party. Karina has great local support which I hope will continue throughout the election campaign. She is a lady of high integrity, intelligence and skill.