Chrystia Freeland says she's running against the 'Ottawa establishment' in Liberal leadership race
Freeland suggests Mark Carney is the top choice of the Prime Minister's Office
Liberal leadership hopeful Chrystia Freeland says she's running against the "Ottawa establishment" as more federal cabinet ministers rally around her top rival, former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
"It's central to my campaign to see this is not about Liberal elites deciding. This is about the grassroots," Freeland said in an interview on CBC's The House that will air on Saturday.
"I am really happy to be running against the Ottawa establishment. I think we need a change," Freeland told host Catherine Cullen.
The former finance minister and deputy prime minister also suggested Carney is the top choice of the Prime Minister's Office.
"It is certainly looking like Mark is the choice of the Liberal establishment. It is certainly looking like he is the PMO's candidate," she added, referring to the Prime Minister's Office.
When asked if she had any evidence the PMO is supporting Carney's bid to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Freeland reiterated it "certainly is seeming that way" and did not provide proof.
"I don't believe in trafficking in second-hand reports, but it seems that way," Freeland added.
The PMO told CBC News that Trudeau and the PMO "are remaining neutral throughout the Liberal leadership race."
A spokesperson for Carney's campaign told CBC News that "Liberals want change. Mark Carney is putting forward a plan to achieve that, for the Liberal Party and the country, while building a stronger economy for everyone."
So far, Carney has picked up more endorsements from ministers in Trudeau's cabinet than Freeland. As of Friday evening, the former central banker has 13 ministers backing his campaign. Freeland has five.
"My campaign is about reviving grassroots democracy in the Liberal Party. It's about saying we as a party need to do things differently and it's about saying if I am elected as leader, if I'm elected as prime minister, I will do things very differently," Freeland said.
In a news release sent out Thursday, Freeland's campaign proposed six ways to "return power" to the party's grassroots, including biennial conventions and inviting the Liberal caucus and membership to develop and institute a new process for leadership reviews.
Freeland vs. Trudeau
Freeland sent shockwaves through Ottawa last December when she abruptly resigned from her job as finance minister. In an open letter, Freeland said the prime minister no longer wanted her to serve as finance minister and offered her another position in cabinet.
The tumultuous saga was a crushing blow to Trudeau. Three weeks later, he announced he would resign after the Liberals select their new leader.
Trudeau told reporters after his announcement that Freeland "has been an incredible political partner through just about everything we have done as a government and as a party over the past decade."
Cullen asked Freeland if Trudeau was trying to undermine her leadership bid by tying her to his record. In response, Freeland said she thinks the prime minister "chose his words extremely carefully there."
The former finance minister then highlighted some of the Liberal government's achievements like renegotiating the North American free trade deal and the Canada Child Benefit.
"We have to be proud of what our Liberal government has done," Freeland said. "And we have to build on that."
Handling Donald Trump
Freeland has pitched herself to voters as someone who can stand up to U.S. President Donald Trump. At her campaign launch on Sunday, Freeland said she would be "firm and resolute in the defence of the national interest."
During her interview, Freeland said she takes Trump very seriously and referenced the president's ongoing threat to use "economic force" like tariffs to absorb Canada as the 51st U.S. state.
"This is an existential challenge, and I know that I have the spine to stand up for Canada. I have the plan to stand up for Canada, and I know we can do it," Freeland said.
She called for Canada to publish a specific, dollar-for-dollar retaliation plan "today" that covers $200 billion of U.S. exports like dishwashers from Michigan and cheese from Wisconsin.
"Trump doesn't actually care if Canadian politicians bang their fist on the table. But he will care if the Wisconsin dairy lobby calls him up and says, 'Mr. President, this will be terrible if the Canadians do it,'" Freeland said.
"We need now to be activating those Americans to start pressuring their own president," Freeland added.
Ahead of the president's inauguration, Canada prepared a first round of counter-tariffs in case Trump made good on his threat after being sworn in. The countermeasures covered $37 billion in goods that would be less harmful to the Canadian economy.
The Canadian government is also preparing additional retaliatory tariffs that would cover up to $110 billion, depending on the Trump administration's actions. Those could potentially be more damaging to the Canadian economy.
Some provincial officials, like Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, have said they won't support a dollar-for-dollar retaliation plan because it would harm Canadians.
Freeland justified her plan by saying said for Trump, "weakness is a provocation" and "capitulation is not a negotiating strategy."
"He wants to beat you up and push you as far as he can, so it is so essential that we say to him really clearly: Canada is not for sale. Our sovereignty is not negotiable. We take you seriously, but we are not afraid of you. And if you hit us, we will hit back," Freeland said.
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With files from Michael Woods