Mark Carney backtracks on ‘Who cares?’ comment, calls it ‘poor choice of words’

PM faced pointed questions from Opposition in House of Commons for comments made at G20 conference

Published Nov 25, 2025  •  2 minute read

Prime Minister Mark Carney rises during question period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. Photo by Adrian Wyld /THE CANADIAN PRESS

Mark Carney went elbows down on Tuesday, labelling his controversial comments about trade negotiations with the U.S. as a “poor choice of words.”

The prime minister faced pointed questions from the Opposition in the House of Commons for responding with, “Who cares?” when asked Sunday by a CBC reporter if he was talking to U.S. President Donald Trump in an attempt to mend the countries’ frayed economic relations.

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“Before the election he promised ‘elbows up,’ ” Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said on Tuesday during question period, via The Canadian Press. “After, it was, ‘Who cares?’ Before the election, he said the tariffs were an ‘existential crisis.’ Now he says they’re not a burning issue.

“Why is the prime minister before the election so much different than the one after?”

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PM says remark was a ‘mistake’

That prompted Carney to offer a mea culpa over his comments, which he made Sunday during a gathering of G20 leaders in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“On the night of the election … I made a promise to Canadians,” Carney said on Tuesday during question period. “When I make a mistake, I’ll admit it. That was a poor choice of words about a serious issue.”

Carney also said he expects to announce more federal help for tariff-affected sectors this week.

The incident was sparked by Carney seemingly lashing out on Sunday at a follow-up question from the CBC’s Ashley Burke, who had earlier asked the PM on the sidelines of the G20 conference whether Trump had “returned your calls or texts” without receiving a response.

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“Who cares?” Carney said. “I mean, it’s a detail. It’s a detail. I spoke to him. I’ll speak to him again when it matters.”

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Tense times as trade talks still suspended

Trump abruptly ended trade negotiations with Canada last month in response to an ad paid for by the Ontario government that featured a recording of former U.S. president Ronald Reagan speaking against tariffs.

Carney later apologized to Trump for the ads, but trade talks are still suspended.

The prime minister is considering travelling to Washington next week for a FIFA World Cup event.

— With files from The Canadian Press.

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