This is probably as good as it gets for Mark Carney, if the curse of Rolling Stone holds true.
asserted
curse → get → Stone
The prime minister was lauded for his “genius-level instincts” in a recent profile in the magazine, under the headline: “How Mark Carney Became Leader of the Free World by Standing Up to Trump.”
asserted
Carney → laud → Trump
There was more breathless prose about Canada being “an underdog, bad-ass, outlaw nation.”
asserted
Canada → be → ?
But it was a reminder that such those who the gods wish to destroy, they first put on the cover of Rolling Stone.
asserted
they → wish → Stone
In July 2017, Justin Trudeau was at 43 per cent support in the polls when he was profiled.
asserted
he → profile → polls
“Why Can’t He Be Our President?”, ran the headline.
asserted
headline → run → ?
It quickly became apparent that whatever the question was, Justin Trudeau was not the answer and his popularity at home dived.
asserted
popularity → become → home
Similarly, Carney has appeared weightless to this point but discontent is as fundamental a property of politics as gravitational pull is on mass.
asserted
pull → appear → mass
Sooner or later, he will come down to earth with a bump – quite possibly because he has decided to expend some of the political capital he has accumulated.
uncertain
he → come → capital
That certainly seems to be the case when it comes to the new legislation aimed at reducing the days and hours lost to labour disputes.
asserted
it → seem → disputes
Unions like Unifor backed the Liberals in 2025, but their patience will be stretched by a law aimed at limiting the right to strike.
asserted
patience → back → right
Carney’s iconic image as the leader of the Trump resistance will likely be tested if Mexico and the U.S. strike a deal and invite Canada to join, as happened in 2018.
asserted
Mexico → test → 2018
Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum has said that an agreement is close “within the framework of sovereignty, respect and what is best for Mexico.”
asserted
what → say → Mexico
If such a deal respecting Canadian sovereignty and featuring lower tariff rates on steel, aluminum and cars is presented, Carney will be under enormous pressure to accept.
asserted
Carney → respect → pressure
Since it is unlikely that the White House will sign an unconditional surrender document, we can expect a fudged agreement, where all sides agree to do things that they would prefer not to.
asserted
they → sign → that
The messy business of governing is sure to bespatter the prime minister’s reputation.
asserted
business → govern → reputation
Carney gave a sense of how stretched he is when he was asked by a reporter about his ability to focus on domestic and international events.
asserted
he → give → events
He said that on Sunday, “instead of getting up and having a little bit of exercise and having brunch, I went to meet with the President of France (in Saint Pierre and Miquelon).
asserted
I → say → Pierre
On Monday, he said he had to take part in the ceremony to introduce three new MPs, participate in question period and introduce legislation, before heading to New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
asserted
he → say → Assembly
“You can do both (domestic and international), I have to do both and I am doing both,” he said.
asserted
he → do → both
But is he doing those things to his own high standards?
asserted
he → do → standards
The good news for him is that he doesn’t have to be immaculate; he just has to look better than the other guy.
asserted
he → have → guy
No one is doing more than Pierre Poilievre to ensure that is the case.
asserted
that → do → Poilievre
At a rally in Brantford, Ont., the Opposition leader unveiled his new candidate, Kevin Davis, to run in the Brantford-Brant South-Six Nations byelection, following the resignation from caucus of MP Larry Brock.
asserted
leader → unveil → Brock
Ostensibly, the decision was made quickly in case the Liberals decide to call a snap byelection.
asserted
Liberals → make → byelection
That sounds unlikely.
asserted
That → sound → ?
No Liberal wants to see the back of Poilievre.
asserted
Liberal → want → Poilievre
Brantford has the potential to become Poilievre’s Battle of Little Bighorn, with the leader in the role of George Armstrong Custer.
asserted
leader → have → Custer
To avoid that unhappy outcome, Conservatives needed a show of unity and a rallying call to persuade Canadians that the party of Macdonald, Diefenbaker, Mulroney and Harper is ready to govern, if the Liberals falter.
asserted
Liberals → avoid → Macdonald
Carney’s iconic image as the leader of the Trump resistance will likely be tested if Mexico and the U.S. strike a deal and invite Canada to join
Instead, the appointment of a candidate by the party, rather than through an open nomination, led the man who held the Brantford seat for 13 years walking out of the hall in protest and predicting the Conservatives will now lose the byelection.
asserted
Conservatives → test → byelection
Phil McColman was first elected in 2008 and even survived the 2015 Liberal tsunami that swept away many of his colleagues.
asserted
that → elect → colleagues
Those victories were built on a strong local riding association in which local pastor, Dave Carroll, was an active player.
asserted
Carroll → build → which
McColman and Brock both planned to support Carroll in an open nomination contest.
asserted
McColman → plan → contest
Those hopes were stymied by the Conservative party’s decision to appoint Davis, the local mayor.
asserted
hopes → stymie → Davis
“It feels like the biggest gut punch.
asserted
It → feel → punch
I am taking it personally, though maybe I shouldn’t,” McColman said in an interview.
asserted
McColman → take → interview
He said he raised the issue with the Opposition Leader’s Office “but they refused to listen.”
asserted
they → say → Office
Davis will now face Joy O’Donnell, the Liberal candidate who finished second to Brock last year.
asserted
who → face → Brock
McColman said “hundreds” of Conservatives in the riding have expressed their disquiet at the way the process was handled.
asserted
process → say → way
“People are disillusioned and upset,” he said.
asserted
he → say → ?
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
