TORONTO — Prime Minister Mark Carney called the Toronto International Film Festival “a testament to part of what makes Canada unique” as he helped kick off its 50th edition on Thursday.

Carney took the stage to applause ahead of the screening of opening-night film “John Candy: I Like Me,” a documentary celebrating the late Canadian comedian.

He joked he was there to “take credit” for the Trudeau government’s financial commitments to TIFF, before saying he was there to reinforce those commitments.

Last year, the Liberal government announced it was investing $23 million in TIFF’s content market initiative.

Carney also went on to pay tribute to Candy, saying the film exemplified important Canadian values like tolerance, generosity and humility.

He said that in “a more dangerous, divided

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