Feb.15, 2025
In an enthusiastic packed room of 1000 supporters in Ottawa,
Pierre Poilievre said, "We will never be the 51st state". He spoke for an hour
about a Canadian vision and needed policy remedies that only Conservatives
could deliver.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre warned U.S. President
Donald Trump not to turn a "loyal friend into a resentful neighbour"
with incessant threats of tariffs on key sectors of the Canadian economy
and of making Canada into the 51st state.
"Sometimes it does take a threat to remind us of what
we have, what we could lose, and what we could become," he told the crowd.
"The unjustified threats of tariffs and 51st statehood from Donald Trump
have united our people to defend the country we love."
Speaking to Americans, Poilievre gave them two options. The
first would be to carry out an "unprovoked attack" on the Canadian
economy with tariffs, making all consumers pay more, workers making less
money, and gas prices skyrocketing.
"You will turn a loyal friend into a resentful neighbour, forced to match tariff with tariff and to seek friends everywhere else; both our economies will weaken, leaving less money for defense and security, and our enemies will grow stronger."
Or, the second option would see Canada and the U.S. trade
even more, bringing a wave of optimism as it would make consumers pay
less for goods and workers have more money in their pockets.
"I would ask you this question, which other country
would you rather have as your neighbour? If Canada is not your friend, who is?”
he asked Americans.
Poilievre said Canadians are nice and polite, slow to anger,
and quick to forgive. “But never confuse our kindness with weakness,” he said,
prompting loud cheers from the crowd.
"Let me be clear: we will never be the 51st state. We
will bear any burden and pay any price to protect the sovereignty and
independence of our country.”
Poilievre also accused the Liberal Party, and especially their
leadership contenders, of instrumentalizing the looming threat of tariffs to
distract from their record. He also said many of them prove that Conservatives
were "right on everything."
"Everyone now admits…that Conservatives were right on
the Liberal capital gains tax, that Conservatives were right on the carbon tax,
on pipelines, on LNG, on fentanyl, the borders, immigration, and the need to
celebrate rather than cancel our proud history," he said.
The rally was an exclamation mark on a broader message change by the Conservatives, which sees moves beyond calls for a “carbon tax election” to a campaign theme more in tune with the current moment, battling multiple threats from Trump and strengthening an independent Canada.
That did not stop Poilievre from attacking Mark Carney, seen
as the frontrunner to become Liberal leader, on his promise to “change” the
consumer carbon tax.
“Mr. Carney will pause the carbon tax, hide it out of sight,
so that you won’t see it for the duration of the election period,” said
Poilievre. “God forbid, if he were elected, he would bring in a much bigger tax
that has no rebate whatsoever.”
“They will be popping the champagne at the Trump Tower when
‘Carbon Tax Carney’ comes in,” he added.
Poilievre fleshed out his election promises, promising a
'patriotic tax cut' for Canadians if he is elected prime minister. This tax
cut, he explained, would put more money in the pockets of hardworking
Canadians, stimulating the economy and benefiting all. He also pledged to axe
the sales tax on new homes, making homeownership more affordable for Canadians.
He got some of the loudest cheers when promising to cut
foreign aid to “dictators and terrorist groups,” bringing back Canadian symbols
and figures such as Terry Fox in passports, and restoring in-person citizenship
oaths but improving the words of the existing oath.
Conservatives made a big splash with the “Canada First”
rally on National Flag Day.
National Poll 338 updated
Feb. 9, 2025 CPC 42%, LPC 26%, NDP 16%, BQ
8%, GPC 4%
(Sources CBC, CTV, National Post)
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