Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre held a press conference on Parliament Hill today, addressing the media ahead of the tabling of the federal budget. Poilievre and his Common Sense Conservative team outlined their criticisms of the current government’s economic policies and offered an alternative vision for Canada’s economic future.
Poilievre emphasized the failures of the Trudeau government over the past eight years. He accused Justin Trudeau of making housing less affordable and cited statistics showing that housing costs have doubled under Trudeau’s leadership. “When Justin Trudeau became prime minister, after I left him an affordable housing market as housing minister, it took 38% of a family’s income to make payments every month on an average home. That number is now 64%,” Poilievre stated.
He also highlighted the increase in homelessness, with 10 encampments in every major city and 35 homeless encampments in Halifax alone. Poilievre criticized the government’s immigration policies, citing an instance where 26 international students were found crammed into the basement of a home in Brampton due to a housing shortage.
Poilievre pointed out that two million people are now lined up at food banks, with images reminiscent of the Great Depression. Poilievre also mentioned a Facebook group called the “Dumpster Diving Network,” where people share tips on how to eat out of garbage cans.
The Conservative leader was particularly critical of the Trudeau government’s carbon tax, which he blamed for driving up costs for Canadians. “After eight years of Justin Trudeau’s carbon tax, we now have two million people lined up at food banks,” Poilievre said.
Poilievre concluded his remarks by outlining the Conservative Party’s plan to address these issues. He promised to axe the carbon tax, cut income tax, and implement a common-sense approach to balancing the budget. He also pledged to build more homes by requiring municipalities to permit 15% more home building as a condition of receiving federal funds.
In response to questions about the Conservative Party’s environmental policies, Poilievre stressed the importance of using technology to drive down the cost of clean energy alternatives. He criticized Trudeau for blocking projects like nuclear, hydroelectric dams, and offshore energy, which he believes could provide abundant, affordable, and clean energy for Canadians.