Poilievre accuses Carney of hiding as Liberal leader wraps up third week of campaign with no public events

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre holds a press conference in the Nepean riding of Ottawa, on Saturday, April 12, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby

Liberal Leader Mark Carney did not have any scheduled events on Saturday, ending the third week of the election campaign out of the public eye.

While Carney made a campaign announcement Saturday through a news release – vowing free access to Canada’s national galleries and museums for children and youth under 18 - it is the second consecutive day that he has had no public events.

On Friday, he paused his campaign for the third time to meet with his Canada-U.S. committee in Ottawa to discuss the ongoing global trade war. He spoke briefly to reporters after the meeting but did not take any questions.

It has prompted Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to accuse the Liberal leader of hiding.

“Mark Carney is in hiding today and yesterday,” Poilievre said during a Saturday campaign event in Nepean, Ont., where Carney is running for a seat.

“He doesn’t want to answer for the lost Liberal decade. He wants Canadians to forget that housing costs have doubled, that young people, for the first time in history, can’t afford a place to live in Canada,” Poilievre added.

According to the latest Nanos Research polling, the Liberals have a six-point lead over the Conservatives with two weeks left until election day.

The Tory leader also accused Carney of evading questions about his “multi-million-dollar conflicts of interest.”

Carney, who served as chair of Brookfield’s board from Aug. 2022 until he resigned in January to run for the Liberal leadership, continues to face scrutiny about the firm’s tax practices.

This week, CTV News reported that Brookfield has registered more than a dozen business entities to an address in the Cayman Islands that former U.S. president Barack Obama once described as either “the largest building in the world or the largest tax scam in the world.”

Earlier this month, CTV News also reported that Brookfield had registered several entities related to its core business at an address in Bermuda, another notable tax haven that also houses a local bike shop.

A CTV News reporter asked Carney this week whether Canadians should infer from his answers thus far on Brookfield’s tax practices that he wouldn’t condemn the use of tax havens.

“I have a long career in the private sector, longer career in the public sector. What’s important is that we have an effective tax system and that companies — every company — follows the rules … to not just the letter, but the spirit, of those regulations,” said Carney.

“We need to continue to refine our tax system to ensure that companies are paying their fair share of tax.”

Taking aim at Carney, the Conservatives and the NDP both have promised that they will close offshore tax loopholes if they win the election.

Carney speaks with NATO secretary general

According to a readout issued by the Prime Minister’s Office Saturday afternoon, Carney spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

“The leaders discussed issues of shared interest, including strengthening Euro-Atlantic security, continuing to support Ukraine in its self-defence, bolstering military readiness and burden-sharing, as well as identifying additional opportunities to further deepen transatlantic co-operation in the defence industry and innovation,” the readout stated.

It added that Carney “underscored that NATO remains a cornerstone of transatlantic security” and “reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to strengthening the Alliance and contributing to the capabilities it requires.”

The readout stated that Carney and Rutte agreed to remain in close contact.

Day 21 promises

Poilievre unveiled his plan to improve support for Canadian military veterans, which includes disability applications being automatically approved if they’re not processed within four months.

During his campaign stop in Nepean, the Conservative leader said his government would not expand the existing medical assistance in dying law.

“People will continue to have the right to make that choice for themselves. We are not proposing to expand medical assistance in dying beyond the existing parameters,” Poilievre said.

Meanwhile, Carney promised a new Canada Strong Pass, which, in addition to providing children and youth with free access to national galleries and museums, would also give them free seats on VIA Rail when they travel with their parents. Carney is also pledging to reduce prices for camp sites in national parks from June to August.

The Green Party of Canada wants to make tuition in colleges and universities free to support young Canadians.

With files from CTV News’ Brennan MacDonald, Rachel Hanes and The Canadian Press