Poilievre lays out his plan to deal with Trump and help Canada weather the tariff storm
Conservative leader says his election campaign won't be about the U.S. threat alone
On the day U.S. President Donald Trump is poised to hit Canada with a slate of new tariffs that could torpedo cross-border trade, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre laid out his plan to take on the Americans and help this country get through what's expected to be a tumultuous economic period.
Poilievre told reporters he hasn't spoken to anyone in the U.S. executive branch since this trade war began, saying he prefers to leave those discussions to the current prime minister so as not to divide Canada's "voice" and its approach to the "unjustified" American economic threat.
While he hasn't been directly lobbying the U.S. for a reprieve or popping up on American television, Poilievre said he has been doing his "homework" and he has a plan to try to neutralize the Trump threat.
His plan includes a push to renegotiate the trade deal with the U.S. as soon as possible, cut income taxes at home, reduce the capital gains tax burden for people who invest in Canada, and stand up a business liquidity support program to give companies access to cash to keep workers on the payroll through tough times.
While acknowledging the Trump trade agenda is an issue, Poilievre said his election campaign won't be squarely focused on dealing with the American threat, as the Ontario PCs did during their recent winning provincial election campaign.
He said he will continue to prosecute the Liberals for their perceived failures in government and keep his attention on other pressing issues like the housing crisis, even as he faces pressure, including from inside his own party, to make a hard pivot.
"I will not stop talking about these problems that predate Donald Trump and that will outlast Donald Trump if we do not fix them," Poilievre said, also referencing the cost of living, inflation and crime.
"I will be out there every day outlining my plan to protect Canada against American tariffs, but I will also unapologetically be out there talking about my plan to build more homes, get people off drugs and into recovery, fix the budget and keep inflation down," he said.
Plans for 'economic fortress'
As part of his plan to take on Trump, Poilievre said a government led by him would create an "economic fortress" by turbocharging oil and gas development and pipeline construction to get more of Western Canada's resources to other parts of the country and around the world, lessening the Canada's dependence on the American market.
Poilievre said he supports "targeted, reciprocal" tariffs on American goods, but only ones that do the least possible damage to the Canadian economy — a potentially tricky balancing act.
If he wins the next election, Poilievre said he wants to sit down with Trump and hash out a new trade agreement to replace the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) that the president has left in tatters with his tariffs.
Poilievre said he would like to see all Canadian tariffs on American goods paused while those negotiations with Trump are ongoing, as long as the U.S. also agrees to pause its tariffs.
As part of those talks, Poilievre said he will acquiesce to Trump's demands that Canada spend more on defence.
Poilievre confirmed for the first time that a possible Conservative government would hit the NATO benchmark of spending two per cent of GDP on defence — a multi-billion-dollar funding commitment that Poilievre said he could initially fund with any possible tariffs on American goods.
Poilievre also laid out what he calls red lines in any negotiation with Trump and his team — things that Canada would never agree to negotiate away.
He said Canada must maintain control over its border and its fresh water, and save its automotive industry and its supply-managed farm sectors.
He said Canada's currency, "our lands, our skies, our culture and our official languages," and protections for Indigenous peoples are also non-starters.
"We will protect Canada's sovereignty," he said.
Canada's economy must 'change dramatically': Carney
Poilievre's U.S. plan is not radically different from the one being pursued by Liberal Leader Mark Carney, who has already agreed with Trump to sit down right after this federal election — if he wins — and start the process of renegotiating a new, comprehensive economic and security relationship to bring this era of fractious relations to a close.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Carney has said he will take a tough stand against Trump to protect the country's interests — even as he looks to negotiate an off-ramp for this trade war.
"As I made clear to President Trump in our call last week, I will reject all attempts to weaken Canada, all attempts to wear us down, to break us down so that America can own us. That will never, ever happen," Carney said.
"President Trump is in the process of trying to fundamentally restructure the U.S. economy and that means that our economy here needs to change dramatically as well."
Still, Poilievre said he's best placed to defend the country because the Liberals have made Canada "weak" by restricting natural resources development and overseeing lacklustre economic growth in recent years.
He said Carney can't be trusted to unleash the energy sector because the Liberal leader has promised to keep Bill C-69, the last government's environmental regulatory framework that has been criticized by industry as being too restrictive.
Carney has said however that he's open to building a new east-west pipeline to spur development and lessen Canada's reliance on the U.S., essentially the sole export market for our oil products in particular.
Poilievre claimed Trump is "supporting" Carney and that the president has "anointed Carney the winner of the next election" because the Americans would rather negotiate with Team Carney.
Poilievre said the Liberals would leave Canada "even weaker and poorer than it was over the last decade," and dependent and "vulnerable" to the Americans.
"Trump wants the Liberals to win a fourth term," he said. "It is time for a change with a new Conservative government that will put Canada first."
Caroline Mulroney endorses Poilievre
Carney, in turn, has branded Poilievre as a sort of mini-Trump who will kowtow to a fellow populist leader if elected.
Poilievre was endorsed by Ontario Treasury Board president Caroline Mulroney at the Toronto event where he announced his U.S. plan.
She said Canada is "ready for a change" and Poilievre is the best leader to offer that change because he can channel Canadians' frustration, anxiety and anger into action to help the country become "stronger, more united and more prosperous."
Mulroney's appearance was notable because Poilievre has had poor relations with the Ontario PCs.
When talking about working with the province to build resource projects like the Ring of Fire mineral development, Poilievre said he will partner with "President Mulroney" to get it done, never mentioning Ontario Premier Doug Ford by name.
Asked later in an interview with Mulroney's brother Ben Mulroney if it's a sign that relations are improving between the two parties, Poilievre demurred, saying: "I think it's a signal of a great friendship."
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