Mark Carney’s Liberal leadership campaign has quietly updated its logo after a trademark dispute with Edmonton-based debt collection company MetCredit.
The original design, a red “M” encased in the outline of a maple leaf, was accused of closely resembling MetCredit’s trademarked emblem, registered in Canada in 2020 and in the U.S. in 2023.
MetCredit’s CEO, Brian Summerfelt, confirmed he had not authorized the use of the design and formally requested Carney’s team to stop using it.
“I didn’t give them permission to use it, I’m not sponsoring their campaign and I’m not a Liberal,” MetCredit president and CEO Brian Summerfelt told True North Friday. “The logo was trademarked in Canada in 2020 and in 2023 in the U.S.
Carney’s campaign has since altered its logo, though it has not publicly addressed the controversy or provided an explanation for the initial design.
The updated branding appeared on the campaign’s website and social media accounts shortly after the request was made but was implemented without any formal announcement.
“I don’t know who is in charge of his campaign but they’re not doing their research,” said Summerfelt. “The funny thing is, he launched his campaign in Edmonton and we’re based in Edmonton.”
The logo change has added to growing criticism of Carney’s campaign, with opponents questioning his attention to detail
“Mark Carney kicking off his campaign by swiping a debt collection firm’s logo? If this is his idea of originality, it’s not just a bad start—it’s a glaring red flag. Canada deserves better than copy-paste leadership,” wrote Hampstead, Que. Mayor Jeremy Levi.
