COLUMN: On Parliament Hill – Flip-flops and Liberal policy

It could be said that Prime Minister Mark Carney has had more flip flops than a fish out of water – only his are on public policy. One day Canadians hear one position and the next day, something completely different. Effective leadership requires clarity and consistency, yet both appear to be missing. Amid global instability, Canadians need clear direction and a reliable path in place.

A prime example of their about-face can be seen in the Liberal government’s response to the war in Iran. The prime minister took four different positions in four days on the war in the Middle East. He was for the attack. He then regretted his support for the attack. He then said it was illegal. And then he said that he would not rule out contributing troops. Such reversals raise deeper questions about judgment. For example, would he have left the evil regime in place? A March 9 Hill Times article reported that the Liberal caucus wanted to be consulted before the PM pledged his support, adding confusion and uncertainty about where Canada stood.

Consequences to the war are not abstract. Gas prices are higher affecting transportation, distribution, and our food supply. In a response to the prime minister, Pierre Poilievre proposed an Emergency Energy Supply Plan to increase Canadian energy production and send more energy to democratic allies. While Canada cannot control global instability, it can control whether its own natural resources are developed and exported – something that has become more difficult under this Liberal government.

That concern was highlighted when one of Canada’s largest oil producers, Canadian Natural Resources Limited, announced it was halting expansion in Canada. The company said federal regulations and the industrial carbon tax were creating too much uncertainty and cost for long-term investment.

The government suggested it would release additional oil in response to global shortages. The problem is, Canada lacks a strategic petroleum reserve, a point that Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson later clarified.

Economic pressures are not limited to the energy sector. Mr. Carney proposed a year ago that we could judge him on the price of groceries. Now, Canadians are feeling the strain at the check-out. Canada has the highest food inflation in the G7. Grocery prices have climbed more than seven percent, and food banks are seeing more than two million visits every month. Instead of filling two grocery bags, for the same cost, Canadians are filling one.

The labour market is also a concern. Canada lost 83,900 jobs in February, pushing the unemployment rate to 6.7 percent. Economists had expected the country to gain jobs not lose them. Furthermore, youth unemployment has climbed approximately 14 percent. What happened to all the promised jobs?

The prime minister has also flip-flopped on housing. The dream of homeownership has become out of reach for many Canadians. The prime minister promised to deliver 500,000 new homes annually, but PM Carney’s own housing agency has admitted they will only add 5,200 homes per year. The CMHC is predicting housing construction will decline 18.1 percent, well below the 10-year average.

Production in the auto industry, once a critical contributor to the Canadian economy has dropped from over two million vehicles in 2016 to 1.2 million. Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney had promised before the election that he would protect the auto sector. Things have gone in a different direction.

Over the same period, production rose by four percent in Mexico and declined just 2.3 percent in the United States. After one year under Prime Minister Mark Carney, the trend has worsened, with Canadian vehicle output falling another 7.8 percent in 2025. At the same time, Canadian taxpayers are again subsidizing electric vehicles manufactured in other countries, including the United States.

Canada is also preparing to allow significant imports of electric vehicles built in China, raising both economic and national security concerns. Modern EVs collect and transmit large amounts of data through onboard software systems. Current plans would permit up to 49,000 Chinese-built EVs into Canada this year, with a cap of 70,000 annually by 2030—an unusual arrangement with a country the prime minister has previously identified as Canada’s most significant security threat.

Time and time again, Canadians are hearing Prime Minister Mark Carney promise one thing and do another. He has missed three self-imposed deadlines without securing a deal with the U.S.. Clearly, he likes to flip-flop. All while projects remain stalled, housing construction is slowing, vehicle production is falling, and many families are struggling with affordability.

This is a time where Canadians are looking for steady leadership, clarity, and consistency. It’s time to put away your flip-flops Mr. Carney.