By Pepper Parr
January 20th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Karina Gould
Karina Gould met with Liberal constituents at a local retail outlet on Sunday and told them why she was running to become the next Prime Minister of Canada.
Gould, who is 37 years old, will be the youngest person running for the liberal leadership. She joins Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland
“Hello everyone. Thank you for being here today with me. I am Karina Gould and I’m running to be the next leader of the Liberal Party.
Karina Gould
“I am so happy to be here with all of you today. You are the people that believed in me from day one. You are the folks that work hard, that knock on doors, that get out there and talk to Canadians and listen to them. I’m a grassroots politician, and I’m here because of every single one of you.
“I’m very, very proud of being the member for Burlington to represent you in our national parliament. I’m a middle class kid from Burlington. I grew up here with a Mom who was a local veterinarian and a Dad who fought for farmers. They taught me the value of hard work, of tenacity and always fighting for what matters and standing up for Canadian values. I’m here today to say that I want to take the voices of all Canadians to Ottawa.
“I am a product of the bilingual policy in Canada, a liberal policy that we should all be proud of. I learned my French here in Burlington at an immersion school in the public education system. My parents signed me up because they really believed in bilingualism in this country. My parents are Anglophones of Czech and German origin, but they knew that our country is based on two official languages that are an integral part of our identity as Canadians.
“My grandparents came to this country after World War Two, they arrived with $5 in their pockets, hopes and dreams. They became Apple farmers in Linden, Ontario; my grandmother got to see me become a cabinet minister.
“My story is the story of so many Canadians whose families might have been here since time immemorial, or maybe they’ve only been here for 10 years. But it is that dream,that hope, that promise of opportunity and possibility that Canada represents. We are a country that is kind, strong and full of opportunities and possibilities. We’ve created a country where everything is possible. And it’s that dream,which is the reason why I’m running for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada.
“I became a liberal on October 30, 1995 I was a small child then. I have a very clear memory of the moment I became a liberal. And for those of you that know that date, it’s the date of the Quebec referendum. I remember sitting on our living room floor watching the results come in. I remember the anxiety I felt as a child that something was going to happen to my country, that there was a nervousness about the future. I remember seeing Prime Minister Jean Chretien come on television, and I remember feeling relief: this is a man who fights for Canada.
“It was in that moment that I realized that is the essence of the Liberal Party of Canada. Liberals fight for Canada.
“At that point, at this time in the history of our country, facing local threats from Pierre Poilievre’s Conservative Party that wants to make dangerous cuts in the services provided, that intends to change Canadian values and to make them completely different from who we really are.
“Listen to me, Canada, Canadian sovereignty is not negotiable.”
“We are facing economic threats from our neighbour. What we need now, more than ever, is people who are prepared to fight for our country.
“When it comes to standing up and fighting for Canada. I want to say something very clear to anyone who thinks that we should become American.
“Listen to me, Canada, Canadian sovereignty is not negotiable.
“I’m being honest with you, we have a big challenge ahead of us. Canadians have lost trust in our party, and if we are going to be able to keep building our country, we must rebuild our party.
“The Liberal Party of Canada is not a hobby for me. It’s not a side project. It is something that I have been working for my entire life. Like so many of you in this room and Liberal Party members across the country, we want to take some time to talk to our activists across the country. It is a time to put forward your ideas, to have a big political debate, and hear the best ideas the Liberal Party has at policy conventions. We need to re-engage Liberal members, because it is the Liberal members across this country who have had some of the greatest debates on our policy convention floors, who have brought forward bold ideas that have moved Canada forward.
“We wouldn’t have things like same sex marriage in this country, if it wasn’t for the bold ideas of the young liberals of Canada,
“We wouldn’t have legalized cannabis in this country, if it wasn’t for The bold ideas of the young liberals of Canada.
“We wouldn’t have had the courage to make reconciliation one of our top priorities if it wasn’t for the bold ideas of liberal members across this country.
“I’m running to be the next leader of the Liberal Party of Canada as your future prime minister, because I want the same things for me and my family that I want for you and yours. I want you to be safe and feel safe in your home and your community. I want you to have a good job that gives you the confidence and the comfort to know that you can pay the bills that you need to pay. I want you to breathe clean air and drink clean water, and I want you to have access to health care when you need it.
“Together, we can rebuild this party so that we can be keep building our country, and re earn the trust of Canadians and build the Canada we want and win the next election.”
At this point the event moved to a Q&A with media attending. Unfortunately, the sound was such that we were unable to clearly hear all of the questions being asked and Gould did not repeat the question before she answered.
Climate change question:
“There is a lot of discussion about the carbon tax and what to do with it. Some other leadership contenders have said they would suggest that they would drop the consumer price. What is your position on that?”
Gould: “Look, I think what’s incredibly important is that for Liberals and quite frankly, for Canadians across this country, climate change is one of the most important issues that we are facing. One of the things that I love most about Canadians is that when there is a problem, they look for ways to solve it. I understand that the price on pollution is something that a lot of Canadians don’t feel speaks to what and how they think they can contribute and how they can make a difference.
“I am proposing that we immediately cancel the increase to the price on pollution ahead of April 1, we need to bring in measures that are going to help Canadians make the decisions that they want to make. Canadians are actually making those decisions already. They’re already looking for ways to reduce their emissions, but sometimes it’s too expensive. We need to make sure that we’re helping them buy an electric or hybrid vehicle. We’re helping them reduce emissions in their homes, and finding other ways for them to make those contributions. At the same time, industry needs to play its part.
“We need to make big polluters pay, and we need to ensure that we have a comprehensive national plan to fight the climate change. Look what’s happening in California, and the wildfires across this country. Canadians care about this, let’s give them the tools and the way forward to make those decisions so that they too can be part of the solution.
Question:
“You are the government House leader, even though the house is not sitting and you have two small children to care for and you are running for the party leadership How do you handle all that?”
Gould: “I spoke with the Prime Minister a couple of days ago, to let him know that I would be resigning my Cabinet post in order to pursue the liberal leadership race.
Gould: What’s going to be the most effective for us as a country is to have a leader who has the confidence of the party
“I have friends and I have family, and the most incredible support network a girl could ask for. I have an amazing husband, I have an amazing Mom and Dad, I have amazing brothers, who all step up to help and to be there, and I am so unbelievably fortunate to be surrounded by love and support that I’m able to do this work, not just on behalf of Canadians, but on behalf of my own children for whom I want to have the best possible future for them and for all kids across this country.”
Question:
“You suggested Donald Trump, won’t listen to your fellow leadership candidates. Why do you think the incoming president will listen to you, and why do you think your best suited to manage Canada’s relations with the Trump administration?”
Gould: “I think it’s really important that we have bankers and journalists, I have tremendous affection for both Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney. I just don’t think Donald Trump is going to care whether you were a banker or a journalist or a baker for that matter. I think what Canadians need and what’s going to be the most effective for us as a country is to have a leader who has the confidence of the party, and, more importantly, a leader who has the confidence of the country.
“We know, if you give a bully your lunch money, they don’t leave you alone. They come back for more, and they just keep shaking you down. What we need now, more than anything, is someone who can bring this country together. We need a united Team Canada approach. Be it the political parties across this country, the Premiers across this country, businesses, labor unions, and everyday Canadians; we must be united and strong in the face of these tariff threats.
“What do bullies respond to strength? They back down, and I can tell you that I’ve been dealing with a bully in the House of Commons every single day, and I know how to stand up for Canada and for Canadians.
“Donald Trump is going to be there for the next four years. But Canada is going to be here for hundreds of years more. And so how are we going to make sure that that promise of Canada is real for everybody in this country?
“Yes, it’s coming from south of the border, but it’s also coming from Pierre Poilievre and this iteration of the Conservative Party of Canada, and we must protect who we are as Canadians from his dangerous agenda of cuts and his desire to change the very nature of what it means to be Canadian.
“I’m going to listen to supporters throughout the country. Canadians join a political party because this is their way of improving their lives; of sharing their ideas and also trying to have an impact on the future of their country. I’m prepared to listen to Canadians. I think that this was one of the most important things that the Liberal Party did, was to have debates, conversations, to explore all the opportunities for Canada, in a democracy, not all ideas go ahead, but it’s important to have the discussion, and that is why I want to hear from supporters throughout the country. We need to listen to everyone in each and every part of the country.
“When I talk about rebuilding the party, I’m talking about hearing from liberal members, party members from across this country who have important ideas, who have a vision for who we are as a country. We need to have those policy debates. We need to hear those ideas, because that’s what makes the Liberal Party so great.
“We might not have any members of parliament in Saskatchewan right now, but we have members of the Liberal Party of Canada, and their voice matters; we need to make sure that the Liberal Party of Canada is not just based in some regions in the country, but is a truly national party where we hear from everyone, because by rebuilding our party, by having those great policy debates, we’re going to put forward the best ideas for Canada.
“I’m excited to re-energize, re-engage the membership so that we can keep building our country.”
Question:
“You support the capital gains rate tax increase, is it right to allow proceed before the legislative process is complete?”
Gould: “Good question. As a former House Leader, it’s a complicated question – what I will say is, I think we need to have a serious review of the capital gains tax increase. We need to hear from innovators in particular. One of the things that I’ve committed to in my conversations with leaders who are entrepreneurs in the tech industry, is, how do we find a way to enable growth in a meaningful way? I’m going to have more to say on that in the coming days.”
Electoral reform:
“If we were going to do something as big as bring forward electoral reform, we needed to have the energy of the country behind us.
Gould: Government is about making difficult choices.
Government is about making difficult choices. That is an important conversation that carries on and we need to keep having because our democracy is so important, and so how do we ensure that that conversation can happen, can be done in a way that is productive and brings people together, while also understanding that we have to meet the moment and make sure that we are protecting our country.
Question: “You mentioned presenting a united front against Trump.”
Gould: “I think the Premiers were pretty effective in this, you know, I’ll give it to Doug Ford and Wab Kinew, two people who are on opposite ends of the political spectrum who said: “Now is not the time to divide our country. It’s time for everyone to get on board. The same goes for Pierre Poilievre, right? He said he was going to bring back warrior culture? Well, turns out its keyboard warrior. Because when the rubber hits the road, and he’s asked to stand up for Canada, he immediately says, oh, but not everything is on the table.
“I’m sorry, when your country is under threat, everything is on the table because every Canadian matters.
“But this is what we expected from him, right? It’s the same thing that happened last time the Conservative politicians, instead of standing up for Canada when we were renegotiating NAFTA, which we did well and which we won, by the way,
“Their instinct was to capitulate. Their instinct was to sell the things that matter to Canada and to Canadians. I’m here to say to all of them, to every Canadian, Canada First and Canada United.
I’m sorry, but when your country is under threat, everything is on the table because every Canadian matters. I’m going to provide them different ways for them to do just that.
This debate is over.There is no chance in hell that she will be the new leader .I would guess that most Liberals hardly know who she is,
Pepper: Just wondering if this by CP 24 on Jan 19, 2025 at 4:56pm is, “disingenuous”, “irresponsible” or fair game?
“Gould was swept into government in the wave that brought Justin Trudeau his first majority mandate in 2015. During the campaign, she briefly caused a controversy for Trudeau’s campaign over an old Twitter post, which she then deleted. It had said, “It’s time to landlock Alberta’s tarsands.”
https://www.cp24.com/politics/2025/01/19/quick-sketch-meet-liberal-leadership-candidate-karina-gould/
Bravo Bravo bravo….what more can be asked of a leader? Listening, integrity and having vision …such a person in Karina Gould,
Joe – you have forgotten what the Westminster parliaments are all about.
Executive authority within a Westminster system is de jure exercised by the cabinet as a whole.
When a government passes legislation members of Cabinet are required to support it – because they are Cabinet members, If they don’t support the legislation or statement or position taken by the government they leave government.
Gould along with every other member of the government follows that rule.
Gould resigned from Cabinet to seek the leadership.
The moment she did that – she is free to do whatever she wants.
For you to try and put this rubber tire around her neck is disingenuous and irresponsible.
If you are to be respected for the opinion you want me to publish (which I have done) would be to retract the position you’ve taken.
For those who are interested in what Hon. Karina Gould said in the House of Commons on the Carbon Tax or Price on Pollution. Below are just a few of her responses to questions posed directly or indirectly on the subject during House Debates. Was he four-square for it or against it is the question to be answered.
December 6th, 2023
House debate
Carbon Pricing
We will continue to stand for Canadians every single day, and we know that when we put a price on pollution with the rebate, Canadians get more back than they pay. If the Conservatives cared about Canadians and their affordability challenges, they would support the price on pollution because it is putting money in their pockets, but in typical Conservative style, they take from the poor to give to the rich.
December 7th, 2023
House debate
Business of the House
I will note that the amendment only passed by one vote, so he should not take out the entire Conservative Party of Canada’s frustration with its own caucus on the House of Commons or on Canadians. I would also remind the member that, when it comes to the price on pollution, we learned this week, in fact, that 94% of low- and middle-income Canadians are better off with the rebate than without it. Again, in typical Conservative fashion, they are looking to take from the poor and give to the rich; the only folks who would benefit are the highest income earners, but that is typical Conservative policy.
October 4th, 2016
House debate
Paris Agreement
This is why I am proud of the Prime Minister’s announcement yesterday of our plan to price carbon pollution starting in 2018. Carbon pricing is one of the most effective ways to incentivize Canadians to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Our plan puts in place nation-wide reduction targets that are realistic and achievable while the economy still grows.
October 24th, 2023
House debate
Housing
That includes lifting 2.7 million Canadians out of poverty, with 650,000 children among them. It means putting a price on pollution and making sure that we are there for Canadians as the climate crisis persists. We are there and we have their backs.
October 30th, 2023
House debate
Carbon Pricing
Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition knows that Canadians who live in jurisdictions where a price on pollution applies get over $1,000 a year from the Government of Canada to fight climate change. When it comes to the Conservatives, they want to take that $1,000 out of the pockets of Canadians.
October 30th, 2023
House debate
Carbon Pricing
Speaker, as a member of Parliament from Ontario, I know that Ontario families get over $1,000 a year for fighting pollution. I guess that Ontario MP wants to take that $1,000 right out of their pockets, which is exactly what he is advocating for. Instead, our government is committed to making sure that we help Canadians not just fight pollution, not just fight climate change, but also deal with affordability.
Editor’s note: If you had listened to what Gould say at her launch event – she said she would halt the increase in the Carbon Tax that is scheduled for April 1 and ask Canadians what they want to do in terms of how we find a way to cut down the current emissions level.
You want good reporting – I want good readers – people who pay attention and step with ideas and different ways of governing the country.
Joe wrote:
The information I provided is a matter of public record and therefore worth sharing. The Hon. Karina Gould was and is part of a government that in my estimation should be voted out of office. That decision respectfully belongs to the electorate.
Jody Wilson Raybould, Jane Philpott, and Celina R. Caesar-Chavannes felt that they could no longer support this government. The Honorable Karina Gould had a choice and continued to support the government.
We have no idea what Karina said behind closed doors, but we do know she continued to support the government and is therefore accountable for the decisions they made. Gould is a very astute individual, is a particularly good communicator, and I am sure she can stand up for herself and would welcome the opportunity to challenge any of the factual information I shared. It may even be an opportunity for her to distance herself from past policies of the Trudeau government.
Any good reporter worth their salt would use the same facts to question Gould on where she stands on carbon pricing/the price of pollution.
I am sure you know that Censorship is the suppression of information, speech, or public communication. It is carried out by governments, private institutions, or individuals and is used by the press, radio, television, etc for a variety of claimed reasons including national security, to control obscenity, hate speech, to protect vulnerable groups, to promote or restrict political or religious views, and to prevent slander and libel. None of these seem to apply.
If the Trudeau government were to arrest and imprison Poilievre for treason, and if the Governor-General forfeited disallowance and or reservation in favour of the Trudeau Government, would Westminster act to protect the sovereignty of Canada?
My old grandfather in Yorkshire used to preach to my cousin and I : “I may doubt what you say, but I believe what you do”. What Karina has DONE for the past 9 years is to support Justin Trudeau without reservation–every electoral lie, every scandal, and every failed economic and fiscal policy. So please excuse me for not believing a single word that she is now singing from a politically-expedient songsheet.
Editor’s note: As a member of cabinet Gould is required to support the governments position. She is no longer a Cabinet member – what she says now is HER position – not that of the government.
“Immediately cancel the increase” to the carbon tax. Question: What would you do as soon as you are PM, immediately reinstate the carbon tax increases you have supported all along?
“Immediately cancel the increase”. Wow, will that ever improve affordability for Canadians–NOT!!! Just got my most recent Enbridge bill in the mail: Want to know how bad Karina Gould has made affordability? I just got my Enbridge bill today. Total bill is $202.87 of which $71.38 is carbon tax (BTW, the cost of the actual gas used was only $64.83!!!) When I calculate the impact of the carbon tax (+HST on the carbon tax), I am paying $80.66 or 39.8% of my bill in taxes on a basic necessity. And Karina Gould voted to support this tax on at least 34 separate occasions!!!!
Editor’s note> She might of – as a member of Cabinet she is required to vote with the government. There is a problem with your understanding of just how federal governments work. You’ve got some homework to do.
Pepper, I understand perfectly how the federal government works. It’s a question of loyalty vs. integrity. JWR and Dr. Jane Philpott put integrity ahead of political expediency.
Editor’s not – they didn’t quit – they were removed from Cabinet. JWR did resign when she was moved to a portfolio she felt she could not manage due to potential conflicts.
That’s right Pepper–they were removed for taking an ethical stand against Trudeau’s attempt to obstruct justice in the Lavalin Scandal. As a lawyer and as Attorney General for Canada, JWR’s oath is to the law, not to Trudeau nor to the Cabinet (in law, the Attorney General is not a member of the Cabinet). Subsequently, on at least 6 different occasions, Trudeau blocked or hindered investigation into the Lavalin Scandal although the Ethics Commissioner found he had violated the Conflict of Interest Act. What will be interesting is whether a future Poilievre government orders a Judicial Inquiry into this Scandal; remembering Trudeau’s roadblocks into the investigation, it may well be that this constitutes an ongoing conspiracy. I don’t think this case is closed.
Well perhaps Editor but let’s be fair. As a member of Cabinet the decisions, both good and bad, were also hers. She doesn’t now get the privilege of saying “oh my hands were tied, I had to support that. Now this is the real me”. She can not now pick and choose. Don’t you wish all our life decisions worked that way.
Editor’s note: I would like to learn the name of any Cabinet Minister who disagreed with the government and resigned. When they do that – their career as Cabinet members comes to an end.
The current Minister of Housing stood his ground and frequently voted against the government. It was only when the Prime Minister was running out of choices that Nate Erskine-Smith was asked to join Cabinet.
I might add to that – Justin Trudeau did say publicly that he realizes he made a mistake in not going forward with ranked balloting.