Pierre Poilievre recently held a press conference in Manitoba ahead of the Spike the Hike: Axe the Tax Rally scheduled for today, March 28th. Poilievre outlined his plans to address the forthcoming tax hike, housing affordability, budgetary issues, and crime prevention. His remarks shed light on his vision for Manitoba and Canada at large.
Poilievre expressed his delight at being in Manitoba and meeting with the province’s new premier, Wab Kinew. He emphasized his common-sense approach to tackle the 23% tax hike set to be implemented on April Fool’s Day, attributing it to the policies of Justin Trudeau and Jagmeet Singh. Poilievre highlighted the adverse effects of this hike on essentials like food, housing, and medication, asserting the need to alleviate the burden on citizens by spiking the hike and axing the tax.
In addition to addressing taxation concerns, Poilievre underscored the escalating housing costs under the Trudeau government, rendering homeownership unattainable for many Canadians. He shared anecdotes illustrating the struggles of young families to secure adequate housing, advocating for measures to incentivize municipalities to expedite affordable housing construction. Poilievre’s proposed plan aims to streamline building permits, free up land, and sell federal properties to facilitate affordable housing initiatives.
Poilievre reiterated the importance of fiscal responsibility, citing inflationary deficits as drivers of increased living costs. He emphasized the need to cap spending, eliminate waste, and balance the budget to mitigate inflation and lower interest rates. Furthermore, Poilievre advocated for tougher measures against repeat violent offenders, endorsing jail over bail and emphasizing treatment for addiction.
During his press conference, Poilievre lauded Premier Kinew’s efforts to make energy more affordable, particularly by exempting Manitoba from the carbon tax. He expressed his alignment with Kinew’s focus on infrastructure development and economic growth, emphasizing the importance of cooperation across party lines to achieve common goals.
Responding to queries regarding equalization and resource development, Poilievre hinted at forthcoming policies aimed at fostering economic prosperity across provinces. He emphasized the role of free enterprise in generating revenue to fund social programs, advocating for the removal of governmental barriers hindering resource development.
Poilievre expressed support for initiatives aimed at reducing energy taxes, citing their positive impact on inflation rates. He proposed axing the carbon tax and reducing income taxes to alleviate financial burdens on Canadians. Additionally, he pledged support for funding initiatives to search for missing indigenous women, while emphasizing the need for broader criminal justice reforms to prevent such tragedies in the future.
In addressing concerns from Alberta, Poilievre criticized federal policies that he perceives as detrimental to the energy sector. He advocated for the repeal of Bill C69 and the promotion of Canadian energy production to bolster the country’s economic independence and create job opportunities.