Tonda MacCharles/Toronto Star: Poilievre’s newly named foreign affairs critic Eric Duncan said in an interview that when he looks at Carney’s global deal-making — such as the prime minister highlighted in Saudi Arabia — he sees announcements and photo opportunities but little concrete to show for them. He noted a Financial Times report that said the Major Projects Office advised the United Arab Emirates it doesn’t have shovel-ready projects ready to receive a $70-billion investment pledge that Carney secured in November.
“I think they’re woefully unprepared,” said Duncan, adding the agreements “lack a lot of detail and frankly they’re non-binding and they’re aspirational in many cases.” He noted the Major Projects Office manager Dawn Farrell told a committee there were 500 projects under review...