Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre emphasizes the need for Canada to strengthen itself and be self-reliant amidst looming threats of cumulative U.S. tariffs.
Speaking at a
press conference in Ottawa on March 2, Poilievre stated that Canada must “take back control of our economy and become strong, self-reliant, and sovereign.”
“We must bring home our jobs, resources, production, and supply chains,” he told reporters. “We must not only harvest our resources but also build LNG plants and ports to facilitate exporting those resources.”
Poilievre’s comments coincide with the scheduled implementation of the first round of U.S. tariffs on March 4.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an
executive order on Feb. 1 to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods and 10 percent tariffs on oil and gas on Feb. 4. These tariffs were initially paused for 30 days after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to enhance border security measures.
Despite Ottawa’s actions to meet Trump’s demands, the President announced on Feb. 27 that the tariffs would proceed, citing insufficient actions taken to combat drug smuggling. Additionally, the Trump administration has threatened to impose various tariff measures on Canada on different dates.
Poilievre suggested retaliatory tariffs if the U.S. proceeds with their tariffs but cautioned against relying solely on retaliatory measures due to Trump’s unpredictable tariff plans.
Poilievre proposed immediate repeal of the “no-pipeline law C-69” to strengthen Canada by unblocking projects such as mines, pipelines, power dams, and LNG plants. Bill C-69, now known as the Impact Assessment Act of 2019, enables Ottawa to require environmental assessments for resource and infrastructure projects.
Poilievre outlined other necessary actions for Canada to reduce reliance on the U.S., including tax cuts, reducing red tape hindering home construction, and addressing provincial exemptions from the
Canada Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) to boost internal trade. Poilievre noted that he had called on the Liberal government to take these steps a month ago.
On Feb. 21, the federal government
announced the removal of more than half of federal exemptions in the CFTA, from 39 to 19. Transport and Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand
confirmed discussions with provincial trade ministers to eliminate remaining exceptions.
Carney and Brookfield
During the press conference, Poilievre criticized Mark Carney, the leading candidate in the Liberal leadership race, for his role in moving Brookfield Asset Management’s headquarters from Canada to New York.
Carney
stated that the decision to relocate Brookfield’s head office post his chairmanship. However, the Conservatives pointed to a press release indicating otherwise.
On social media, Tory MP Michael Barrett
shared a letter from Carney to Brookfield shareholders, suggesting earlier involvement in the move.
At an event in Oakville, Carney acknowledged the complexity of the transaction and the need for precision in his explanation.
Chandra Philip, Matthew Horwood, and Noé Chartier contributed to this report
