Nearly one thousand people attended a meet and greet event with Prime Minister Mark Carney as he made a stop on his campaign trail to visit Sassy Britches Brewing Co. in Brantford on Friday, April 18, 2025.
The leader was there to not only speak to the residents from nearby communities, but to show support for local Liberal candidates like Joy O’Donnell, who is running to be the next MP for Brantford – Brant South – Six Nations; Chuck Phillips, for Flamborough-Glanbrook-Brant North; David Hilderley for Oxford, and Colin Walsh for Haldimand-Norfolk.
Upon his arrival, O’Donnell welcomed Carney in multiple languages including English, French, Mohawk, Cayuga and Ojibwe.
“We are standing here in a very historical spot; we all know it as the Rope Factory but in 1901, this was a creative and innovative operation of the largest twine factory in the British Commonwealth,” she continued. “…Brantford has been a manufacturing centre for generations …and I wanted to let you know that we are ready to build a new economy with you.”
Stepping up onto the platform, Carney then acknowledged members of the elected Council of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, including Chief Claire Sault and Councillor Larry Sault, as well as Amos Key Jr., a Councillor for Six Nations of the Grand River’s Elected Council, before asking the crowd a simple question.
“Who is ready to stand up for Canada?” asked Carney. “I know we’ve got seven great candidates here, but who else is ready to help the Liberal party win the most consequential election of our lifetime?”
Once the cheers from the crowd quieted, he continued to say that Canada is in the middle of one of the toughest crises it’s had to deal with.
“America, more specifically, Donald Trump, wants to break us so America can own us,” said Carney. “They want our land, they want our resources, they want our water, they want our country. Canada is not America, it is not for sale … it never was and it never will be.”
He went on to say that Canadians are going to have a choice to make in the upcoming election.
“They have a choice whether we’re going to come together or if it’s going to be everyone for themselves,” said Carney. “We’ve seen what’s happened in the U.S., negativity, the politics of anger… It’s going to make them weaker; it’s pulling them apart, it’s causing them to do what they’re doing now to us. …We did not ask for this fight, but when someone drops the gloves, Canadians know what to do.”
Noting that the Liberal party would be releasing its official plan the following day, he said that when you’re dealing with a crisis, the first thing you have to do is prepare for the worst.
“Hope is not a strategy and the fact is, America is a threat to our country, we have to treat it that way; that’s why we’re fighting,” said Carney. “The second thing you need is a plan. A plan beats no plan, a plan brings people together, a plan gives purpose, a plan will drive a better country and we have that plan.”
He then said that the third thing you need when dealing with a crisis is an overwhelming force.
“You have to think big and act bigger,” said Carney. “And what better place to think big, act bigger, and think about renewing our economy, as Joy just said, than Brantford?”
As he neared the end of his speech, the Liberal leader said that if residents put their trust into the Liberals, they will “build this country like it’s never been built.”
“We are going to build millions of homes 20 to 30 per cent cheaper than the homes that are around now. We are not just going to build those homes, we’re going to build a new industry that uses Canadian lumber in Canada, uses Canadian technology in Canada, that is built by Canadians for Canadians,” said Carney. “We are going to build a new energy superpower in clean energy. …We’re going to bring this country together and we’re going to make the most of our resources for us. We’re going to push out American Oil, we’re going to get rid of American gas, we’re going to stop our reliance on that country, and we are going to build new partnerships around the world. America is stepping back, Canada is going to lead.”
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
