To some extent the speech that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre gave at the Economic Club of Canada, in Toronto, on Thursday February 26, 2026, seems like a response to what Prime Minister Mark Carney said at the World Economic Forum a month before. Here is the full text, obtained through MP Aaron Gunn’s constituency office in Ottawa.

Toronto, ON – Merci beaucoup. Thank you very much to Michael and Shelby, two critical members of our Conservative team, to deliver a stronger Canada at home so we have unbreakable leverage abroad. Nearly two thousand years ago, Marcus Aurelius delivered a timeless truth:

You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

That idea is not only true for people, but also for countries. Canada cannot control decisions made by foreign leaders or words by foreign presidents. We cannot control what global shocks and volatility might happen, but we do control what we do in our own country.