‘Canadians are out of money’: Facing big challenges, Poilievre promises big cuts

PENTICTON, B.C. — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rallied his caucus on Wednesday in the Okanagan Valley by vowing to take a big cut out of government spending.

Poilievre’s own climb up the political mountain is looking steeper than ever and, with a new parliamentary session opening next week, he told the majority of his caucus MPs during a speech in Penticton, B.C. that he’s found $150-billion in savings from government spending. He said the money could be used to lower federal debt, cut taxes and reduce inflation.

Repeating his recent emphasis on saving Canadians’ money, Poilievre said the cuts would come largely from reducing the federal bureaucracy, foreign aid, corporate welfare, fake asylum claims and “boondoggles” like the government’s high-speed rail plan.

Canadian businesses and consumers can’t afford the wasteful spending, Poilievre told his party’s MPs during the first of two days of caucus meetings.

“They’re out of touch,” he said of the governing Liberals, “and Canadians are out of money.”

The Conservative leader also tried to create space between himself and Prime Minister Mark Carney by saying that Canada doesn’t need to match American tariffs with counter-tariffs.

“We must outcompete the Americans, not out-tax them.”

And in response to reports that Carney may be moving Canada towards a closer relationship with the European Union, Poilievre told his caucus that Conservatives support free trade but not European taxes, laws and open borders. Canadian policy decisions can’t be made in Washington, Beijing or Brussels, he added.

“Canadians are not pawns on a global chess board,” he said.

Poilievre, facing reports of dissension within his caucus as Carney and his government soar in recent opinion polls, did not address his party’s struggles during his 20-minute speech.

But MP Melissa Lantsman, the party’s deputy leader, acknowledged earlier in the day to reporters that “this is not the position we want to be in at this juncture,” she said when asked about caucus morale. “There’s no question about this.”

Lantsman also said that MPs were gathering to discuss their tactics and strategies for the upcoming parliamentary session, which would be shared once MPs return to Ottawa.

The Conservatives are in a difficult place. Carney and the Liberals are attracting widespread support among Canadians, according to opinion polls, as they attempt to tackle the country’s economic challenges, particularly the Trump trade tariffs.

Recent opinion polls show the Conservatives’ challenges. The Liberals have been in power for more than a decade and some Conservative MPs are beginning to question if they see a light at the end of the tunnel.

An Abacus Data poll from earlier this month found that 54 per cent of Canadians have a positive impression of Carney, with just 27 per cent of respondents saying they have a negative view of the prime minister. And 59 per cent said they approve of the government’s performance.

The Liberals also lead the Conservative in most recent polls by at least a dozen percentage points, raising questions about the Tories’ strategies and leader.

The Conservatives have also been hit with internal squabbles and four caucus defections to the Liberals over the last year. In a recent byelection in Quebec that following the appointment of MP Richard Martel to the Senate, the Conservatives finished third.

National Post