When Canadians elected Mark Carney one year ago, they thought they were electing a Liberal government.
It has become very clear since then that instead they elected a Conservative government. Perhaps a Progressive Conservative government, but a Conservative government, nonetheless.
For folks like me who consider themselves to be progressive, this last year has been full of disappointments. Here are just a few:
- One of the Carney government’s first moves was to cancel the consumer carbon tax.
- Although Carney’s government has formally recognized the State of Palestine and has condemned Israel’s invasion of Gaza, it has taken no actions to disrupt the Gaza genocide.
- Under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, on June 30th 2025, Carney cancelled implementation of Canada’s Digital Services Tax as a move to support trade negotiations. Almost a year later, there has been no obvious advancement in the talks.
- Carney reached a deal with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith to build an oil pipeline to the B.C. coast, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that exempts the project from climate legislation, although it does oblige Alberta to invest in carbon capture, a questionable technology.
- The signing of the Alberta MOU prompted then Minister of the Environment Stephen Guilbeault to resign from the Liberal Cabinet.
The latest disappointment was Carney’s April 30th selection of North Vancouver – Capilano MP Jonathan Wilkinson as Canadian Ambassador to the European Union.
I am a big fan of Wilkinson — who is a strong advocate for the environment — so you might wonder why I am dissatisfied with this appointment. It is because this removes yet another voice from the progressive wing of Carney’s caucus.
The good news in all of the above is that with every step to the right that Mark Carney makes, he leaves open more and more room on his left for Avi Lewis and the NDP.
Daily atmospheric CO2 [Courtesy of CO2.Earth]
Latest daily total (May 01, 2026): 433.95ppm
One year ago (May 04, 2025): 430.89ppm
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Tim! I completely agree. Wilkinson was planning to jump ship some time ago. So maybe this was a good thing.
You forgot to mention the 4.3 billion cut to health transfers – to mental health and addictions.
And the cut to deeply affordable housing supports- all if which negatively impact Vancouver and BC.
I just did my taxes and saw I paid almost twice as much to Ottawa as to Victoria. What for? An unelected Senate? CSIS? The RCMP?
Cheers my friend! Thanks for all you do.