FORT FRANCES – Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre entered the Royal Canadian Legion in Fort Frances to a roaring crowd of blue-collar workers, small business owners, anglers, hunters, and seniors all cheering and chanting, “Axe the Tax.”
In an interview with Dougall Media, Poilievre said, “I was just over at a lumber mill listening to the concerns of people who can't afford to pay for gas, heat, and groceries after nine years of Trudeau and NDP hiking carbon taxes and income taxes and inflation. Life is not affordable.”
“Work doesn't pay and the government is trying to ban people's hunting rifles. None of it makes sense. And, that's why we need a new common sense Conservative government that will axe the tax and build the homes, fix the budget, and stop the crime.”
His comprehensive plan is aimed at reducing the cost of living by getting rid of the carbon tax to lower gas and diesel prices at the pump, which he believes will allow the savings to trickle down to the farmers, truckers, and reduce the price of groceries.
Axing the tax will also incentivize municipalities to increase home construction projects, because it will allow more competitive pricing on the supply chain. He said he will allow the sale of federal properties for affordable housing initiatives.
He promised to reduce red tape on permits for new mining projects and road construction. During the rally, he emphasized the road to the Ring of Fire as a priority the country needs – to open up competition against China’s lithium mines.
“We want to start building roads again. We need to build the roads. I know our current federal government is against roads for strange environmental reasons. But obviously, in rural and remote communities, you need roads, trucks, and other forms of traditional transportation. That's one of the reasons why we're going to axe the carbon tax,” Poilievre said.
Poilievre stated he would do this by reforming taxation through a “dollar for dollar” tax fairness policy.
“We need to make Canada more competitive because if Trudeau and the NDP raise taxes again (and) pile on more red tape for our businesses then jobs are going to go south and we're going to end up poor, broke and unemployed. I want to bring those jobs home by speeding up permits, cutting the taxes, getting rid of the carbon tax and getting our resources to market.
"That's a part of our common-sense plan to bring home powerful paycheques and production to Canada,” Poilievre said.
He promised to combat crime with tougher bail restrictions against repeat offenders, stop the decriminalization of illicit drugs and ban safe supply sites.
For “addictions, we need to provide treatment and recovery services that get people off drugs rather than continually feed them more opioids. The Trudeau/NDP coalition plan to decriminalize crack, heroin, and other hard drugs will cause nothing but carnage in communities across Canada.
“It would be easier to get crack or heroin or illicit fentanyl than a candy bar at a corner store. What we need to do is ban those drugs and provide treatment and recovery services to bring our loved ones home drug-free.”
Poilievre finished the rally describing his pastoral vision of returning Canadians to a simple life where they can own a brand-new home with a white picket fence and a porch swing, where couples can sit sipping lemonade without fear.
