In the House of Commons, today, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre painted a stark picture of Canada’s current state, contrasting it with the prosperous and secure nation of eight years ago when Prime Minister Harper assumed office. Poilievre, known for his articulate and forceful rhetoric, left no stone unturned as he dissected various aspects of the country’s decline under the current leadership.
According to Poilievre, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau inherited a robust economy characterized by rock-bottom inflation and interest rates, falling taxes, and a balanced budget. He highlighted a time when Canadians could leave their doors unlocked, crime had dropped significantly, and the middle class was thriving. Fast forward to today, and Poilievre claims that the middle class has been decimated, with a widening wealth gap and unprecedented inflation.
He pointed out that Canada’s GDP per person is now smaller than it was six years ago, a situation he claimed has never happened before. Furthermore, Poilievre cited projections that Canada’s growth is expected to be the worst among OECD countries until 2030, emphasizing the severity of the economic downturn.
Conservative Party leader did not mince words when discussing the housing crisis, labeling it the worst in Canadian history. Poilievre asserted that Canadian homes now cost 50 percent more than those in the United States, with Vancouver ranking as the third most unaffordable housing market globally. He criticized the government’s promises to address the crisis, noting that fewer homes were built last year than in 1972.
The dire situation, according to Poilievre, has led to a new phenomenon of working-class homeless individuals, including professionals like nurses and electricians living in parking lots. He painted a grim picture of social breakdown, correlating it with the economic challenges faced by Canadians.
Poilievre accused the Prime Minister of doubling the national debt, surpassing the cumulative debt of the previous 22 prime ministers combined. He warned of dire consequences, noting that next year, the government is projected to spend more on debt interest than on healthcare. Pierre Poilievre criticized the government’s allocation of funds, highlighting the $54 million spent on the ArriveCAN app, which he claimed could have been developed by a couple of IT workers over a weekend.
The speech took a turn to international affairs, with Poilievre criticizing the government’s allocation of $1 billion to a green fund, which he described as a “money for nothing scheme.” He questioned the allocation of $15 billion to a battery plant that would reportedly pay $1,600 foreign workers without a place to live. Poilievre argued that Canadian taxpayers should exclusively support Canadian paychecks.
On the international stage, Pierre Poilievre accused the government of imposing a carbon tax on Ukraine and voting against amendments that would have allowed Canadians to build arms for Ukraine. He argued that Canada should focus on breaking European dependence on dictators’ energy sectors rather than imposing carbon taxes.
Poilievre concluded his speech by presenting the Conservative Party’s vision for the future. He promised a common-sense plan that would “axe the tax” to bring down prices, cap spending to reduce inflation and interest rates, and remove bureaucracy to build more affordable homes. He portrayed this plan as a return to a Canada that works for the common people, a stark contrast to the misery he claims the current government has unleashed.