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News / Canada / Canadian Politics
Mark Carney mistakenly
says he's 'in agreement
with Hamas' during French
leadership debate
Chrystia Freeland quickly jumped in to
point out that the party did not support
Hamas and Carney corrected his French
to say that he meant 'with no Hamas'
National Post Staff
Published Feb 25, 2025 • Last updated 6 minutes ago • 2
minute read
53 Comments
Mark Carney, former Governor of the Bank of Canada, speaks
during the 9rst of the two nights of the Liberal Leadership
Debate at the MELS studios in Montreal, Canada, on February
24, 2025. PHOTO BY CHRISTINNE MUSCHI /POOL/AFP via
Getty Images
For many francophone Canadians, the Liberal
leadership debate on Monday was the first
opportunity to hear each candidate speak
extensively and mostly unscripted in French. That
was particularly true for Mark Carney, the race’s
frontrunner whose ability to think and
communicate quickly in French has gone largely
untested in the public’s eye.
00:00 / 01:57
They were very likely disappointed as the former
Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor
frequently stumbled, hesitated and occasionally
needed to be corrected by his leadership rivals
throughout the French encounter.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
First Liberal leadership ‘debate’ offers
little to distinguish between the
candidates
One particularly embarrassing moment for him
came when the candidates were discussing
Canada’s role in the Israel-Hamas war. After Frank
Baylis said that a Palestinian State had to be
established without any involvement by terrorist
group Hamas, Carney noted that he was “in
agreement with Hamas.”
Former finance minister and deputy prime minister
Chrystia Freeland quickly jumped in to point out
that the party did not support Hamas and he
corrected his French to say that he meant “with no
Hamas.”
After the debate, Freeland was asked whether she
was trying to help Carney or showcase her own
French skills by jumping in to correct him “a
number of times.”
From left: Federal Liberal leadership candidates Mark Carney,
Chrystia Freeland, Karina Gould and Frank Baylis before their
French-language debate in Montreal, on Feb. 24, 2025. PHOTO
BY JOHN MAHONEY/POSTMEDIA
“I just remember the question on Hamas,” Freeland
said in a video posted by CBC. “I know Mark well,
and I know his positions. And for me, as a Liberal, it
was important to clarify that position for all
Canadians and for all Liberals because I knew in
that moment It could be dangerous for all of us. So
that was an instant that went by very quickly.”
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Carney was asked in English if his command of
French is not strong enough to be the Liberal
leader.
Carney started answering in French before
switching to English.
“You asked me in English, I’ll answer in English. I
said that we all were in agreement against Hamas
— at least the intention. Ah, no, je suis, I look
forward, if I am selected as Liberal leader, I look
forward to having a debate avec Yves Françcois
Blanchet et Pierre Poilievre,” Carney said,
switching to French, before continuing, “I’m sorry,
I’ll answer in English. I look forward to having a
debate with them, in French.”
Before the race, a source close to Carney said he
was hoping to not only show that his French had
vastly improved, but also to showcase more of his
personality to Liberal voters.
The quality and fluidity of the other candidates’
French also varied significantly, with Baylis — the
race’s only Quebecer — sounding the most
comfortable, followed by former government House
leader Karina Gould and Freeland.
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