Federal-Provincial Development Charge Reduction Program Offers Benefits for Municipalities
This opinion column by Marty York argues that Prime Minister Mark Carney has failed to deliver on both economic management and leadership.The author begins by claiming that Carney has not done enough to address rising antisemitism in Canada, asserting that many Jewish Canadians continue to feel unsafe despite his government being in office.
The article contends that, although some Canadians are concerned about antisemitic incidents, many continue to support Carney because they view him as a highly capable economist.
The columnist disputes this perception, pointing to a weakening Canadian dollar, a technical recession, job losses, declining business investment, high household debt, and increasing food insecurity as evidence of poor economic performance.
The article also criticizes government spending decisions, including funding for Canada's participation in Eurovision, support for UNRWA, and infrastructure and housing initiatives, arguing that these expenditures have not produced meaningful economic benefits.
The author references former prime minister Stephen Harper's past criticism that Carney overstated his role during the 2008-09 financial crisis, suggesting that former finance minister Jim Flaherty deserved greater credit.
Additional criticism comes from Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who argues Canada is underperforming compared with other G7 countries, and from Parliamentary Budget Officer Annette Ryan, who is quoted as saying the federal budget is highly unlikely to meet its fiscal targets.The column also questions Carney's progress in negotiations with U.S.President Donald Trump and criticizes proposed housing policies.Overall, the article presents the author's view that Carney has not fulfilled the economic promises that helped define his political appeal.