>After nine years under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, weak investment and slow economic growth had spurred Canadian executives to line up behind Conservative Leader [Pierre Poilievre](https://financialpost.com/tag/pierre-poilievre/), who has promised to unleash capital with tax cuts and deregulation.
>More business leaders trusted Carney than his rival to manage the relationship with Trump, according to a March survey of 250 business leaders by pollster Leger Marketing Inc. for the National Post newspaper.
>[…]
>But Poilievre still holds strong appeal across the business community, where some executives are skeptical that Carney is creating a new version of the Liberal Party.
>Jim Balsillie, former co-chief executive of smartphone pioneer Blackberry Ltd., published an op-ed in which he called Carney a “confidence man” and suggested he’s a more “efficient version of Mr. Trudeau.”
>After the Liberals published their election platform — outlining deeper deficits along with income tax cuts and infrastructure spending — [Shopify Inc.](https://financialpost.com/tag/shopify-inc/) chief executive [Tobias Lutke](https://financialpost.com/tag/tobias-lutke/) posted on X that while Carney is a “great candidate,” it’s “clear the Party is still in control: it commits Canada to continued economic decline.”
>Carney also attracted criticism for a pledge to create a government entity to build more houses. Real-estate executive Julie DiLorenzo called that “disappointing” and “top heavy.”
>[…]
>Brice Scheschuk of Globalive Capital said the capital-gains tax hike that Trudeau tried to implement last year was a key example of how the Liberals consistently prioritized causes like inequality and climate change over economic growth. Although Carney scrapped the increase, Scheschuk says questions linger about whether he is “Trudeau version two.”
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Summary:
>After nine years under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, weak investment and slow economic growth had spurred Canadian executives to line up behind Conservative Leader [Pierre Poilievre](https://financialpost.com/tag/pierre-poilievre/), who has promised to unleash capital with tax cuts and deregulation.
>But the arrival of [Mark Carney](https://financialpost.com/tag/mark-carney/) — the former Goldman Sachs banker, two-time central bank governor and [Brookfield Asset Management Ltd.](http://financialpost.com/tag/brookfield-asset-management-ltd/) chair — to replace Trudeau has shifted the views in some boardrooms ahead of Canada’s April 28 election.
>Carney’s pitch is that he’s a crisis manager, seasoned by dealing with the 2008 financial crash while at the [Bank of Canada](https://financialpost.com/tag/bank-of-canada/) and Brexit at the Bank of England. That’s helped the Liberal leader in an election where [President Donald Trump’](https://financialpost.com/tag/donald-trump/)s [tariffs](https://financialpost.com/tag/tariffs/) and threats to make Canada the 51st US state have, at times, eclipsed domestic issues such as inflation and housing.
>More business leaders trusted Carney than his rival to manage the relationship with Trump, according to a March survey of 250 business leaders by pollster Leger Marketing Inc. for the National Post newspaper.
>[…]
>But Poilievre still holds strong appeal across the business community, where some executives are skeptical that Carney is creating a new version of the Liberal Party.
>Jim Balsillie, former co-chief executive of smartphone pioneer Blackberry Ltd., published an op-ed in which he called Carney a “confidence man” and suggested he’s a more “efficient version of Mr. Trudeau.”
>After the Liberals published their election platform — outlining deeper deficits along with income tax cuts and infrastructure spending — [Shopify Inc.](https://financialpost.com/tag/shopify-inc/) chief executive [Tobias Lutke](https://financialpost.com/tag/tobias-lutke/) posted on X that while Carney is a “great candidate,” it’s “clear the Party is still in control: it commits Canada to continued economic decline.”
>Carney also attracted criticism for a pledge to create a government entity to build more houses. Real-estate executive Julie DiLorenzo called that “disappointing” and “top heavy.”
>[…]
>Brice Scheschuk of Globalive Capital said the capital-gains tax hike that Trudeau tried to implement last year was a key example of how the Liberals consistently prioritized causes like inequality and climate change over economic growth. Although Carney scrapped the increase, Scheschuk says questions linger about whether he is “Trudeau version two.”
Further reading:
[Pierre Poilievre has spent two decades in politics, but Canadians still wonder what he believes – The Globe and Mail](https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/article-pierre-poilievre-profile-canada-election-2025/)
[Liberals cementing lead over Conservatives on key trust questions, says new poll – The Logic](https://thelogic.co/news/liberals-lead-conservatives-on-trust-abacus-poll/)
[Trump talked about the ’51st state’ during call with Carney: Radio-Canada sources | CBC News](https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/carney-trump-51st-state-1.7517252)
[Opinion: Mark Carney might finally solve the housing crisis – Toronto Star](https://www.thestar.com/opinion/contributors/i-used-to-be-torontos-chief-planner-mark-carneys-new-plan-gives-me-hope-we/article_23d67f05-3c01-44ee-8596-a0f1a1423463.html)
[Opinion: Poilievre’s tax referendum gimmick shows he’s not serious about governing | Canada’s National Observer](https://www.nationalobserver.com/2025/04/24/opinion/pierre-poilievre-federal-election-2025-taxes)
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