“There is no real sense of urgency in Ottawa about our lack of competitiveness … It’s not that this is one of the big problems facing Canada’s economy, it’s that this is our fundamental problem. Nothing else is solvable if we don’t put this issue first.”
Morneau’s blunt, public critique of the Trudeau government marks a stunning shift for someone who served for nearly five years as one of the most-powerful figures close to the prime minister.
His address offered an extraordinary glimpse of the tensions in Canada’s halls of power.
At another point in the speech, Morneau blasted his critics — and said, at times, his troubles were created by those on his own side.
“Sometimes it’s other MPs who think they can do a better job than you,” said Morneau. “Sometimes it’s staff in other offices or the (Prime Minister’s Office) who also think they can do a better job than you.”
There had been signs of…
