Mark Carney sidesteps recession question, sparking backlash
Video shows PM leaving without answering journalist's question as Canada enters technical recession. Toronto residents express frustration.
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
A video circulating online shows Prime Minister Mark Carney walking away from a journalist attempting to ask whether Canada has entered a recession — a moment that quickly sparked criticism and debate.
Queen's Park journalist Laura Stone asked Carney to comment on claims Canada was in recession, but he left the room without responding. The timing stung: Statistics Canada had just released data showing the country's gross domestic product declined for two consecutive quarters, meeting the technical definition of a recession.
Carney later acknowledged economic "weakness" but stopped short of describing the situation as a recession. A Bank of Canada spokesperson told NOW Toronto that while some economists define recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth, the central bank looks at other factors like employment before labeling an actual recession.
For many Toronto residents interviewed, the distinction feels academic. The cost of living has already made it feel like a recession for years. Their frustration reflects broader anxiety about jobs and affordability, even as officials debate terminology.
The exchange revealed a widening gap between how economists define economic slowdown and how people on the street experience it.