UK-based newspaper the Telegraph has picked up on Liberal leader Mark Carney’s impatience with journalists and published a piece targeting the Canadian prime minister.
The article's headline reads, Mark Carney’s ‘volcanic temper’ threatens to derail his election campaign, and poses a question: if Carney already “reacts testily” to journalists, will he prove to be as agitated with voters?
Carney has been caught multiple times replying sharply to journalists — if he lets them into his events in the first place. Carney has denied Western Standard journalists from entering his press conferences in both Edmonton and Calgary — even though his office had issued an invitation.
The one time the Western Standard was permitted to attend a Carney presser, the prime minister snapped back at a question he didn’t like, as the Telegraph described in its scathing article.
“Politicians need to master the ability to control their words, thoughts and emotions, whether they’re speaking in front of small groups, large audiences or the media — and no matter what the provocation,” wrote the Telegraph.
“[Otherwise,] at best, they will develop a reputation for gaffes. At worst, they’ll be considered unsuitable for high office.”
The outlet goes all the way back to 2013, when Carney was kicking off a seven-year stint at the Bank of England, to demonstrate Carney’s “self-confidence and hot temper.”
Citing observations from Reuters at the time, when Carney was leaving his role as Governor of the Bank of Canada and heading to the UK, the Telegraph notes how he was contrasted to his successor, who was “soft-spoken [and] cautious” — “a reputation Carney carried with him to the UK, when he took up the position of governor of the Bank of England as a supposed ‘superstar,’ wrote the outlet.
Remarks made by the Guardian’s former economics editor Larry Elliott earlier in March also featured in the Telegraph piece, where Elliot reported Carney was charming only when “he chose to be,” and had another side to his character that was completely different.
“Journalists sometimes caught a glimpse of his volcanic temper … and Bank staff were wary of getting on the wrong side of him,” wrote Elliot.
“Carney is an intelligent man. And perhaps his combination of personality traits suited him well in the ultra-competitive world of international finance. But will it survive the intense scrutiny of an election campaign?” questioned the Telegraph.
The outlet notes that Carney has lived outside of Canada for years, so many Canadians “will thus far be unaware of his failures, including his less than stellar record at the Bank of England.”
“They will similarly not have been exposed to his personal foibles,” wrote the Telegraph.
“But in recent weeks, his short fuse has been on full display.”
To back up their claim with evidence, the UK publication pointed to a March 16 presser, his first as prime minister, where he had a “mildly tense” moment with a reporter over the publicly rejected consumer carbon tax hike on April 1.
“Your question…how are we going to do it by the end of the day? That’s a great question, and we’ll come right back to you on that following the cabinet meeting,” Carney responded to a reporter’s question on whether the tax hike would be cancelled.
“In that order?” asked a reporter.
“Have a better follow-up than that,” retorted Carney.
“There is a better follow-up, it’s just to get clarification,” said the reporter.
“Then that would be three questions, and everyone else would get angry,” Carney fired back.
The next day on March 17, wrote the Telegraph, there was a “more intense back-and-forth” between Carney, the Globe & Mail’s Stephanie Levitz and CBC’s Rosemary Barton, who had asked about Carney’s blind trust amid ethics conflicts surrounding Brookfield Asset Management.
Barton said it’s “very difficult to believe” there couldn’t be any conflicts.
“Look inside yourself, Rosemary,” replied Carney haughtily.
“You start from a prior of conflict and ill will.”
A third example out forward by the UK outlet was from March 20, where the Western Standard’s James Snell asked Carney about his $500,00 Eurotrip as an unelected politician and if he plans to reimburse taxpayers fir the expense.
“That’s an interesting question and way of framing it,” replied Carney before rambling on about tariffs and President Donald Trump.
“I’ll take that as a no, then,” replied the Western Standard.
“No, you’ll take that as a very comprehensive answer to your question,” replied Carney coldly.
