SCARBOROUGH — Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre on Monday answered the Western Standard’s question regarding concerns from Western Canadians on billions in annual equalization payments to Quebec.
Last year, Quebec was given $14 billion in equalization payments — paid for chiefly by taxpayers in Alberta, Saskatchewan and BC.
In March, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith issued a list of demands, where she implored the federal government to repeal legislation preventing the province from capitalizing on its wealth of resources — namely the ban on building new pipelines and the energy cap on production.
Smith said Alberta “is no longer agreeable to subsidizing large provinces who are fully capable of funding themselves,” a statement presumably targeted at Quebec.
Poilievre earlier said he will not make any significant changes to equalization. Speaking at a press conference in Scarborough, ON, Poilievre told the Western Standard his government would focus on enriching all provinces, including Quebec, so that equalization payments would no longer be a burden on Western taxpayers.
“That’s a long list,” remarked Poilievre on Smith’s list of demands.
“First of all, we need to enrich all provinces, and I’m the only one with a plan to do that,” he said.
Poilievre referenced his promises to repeal Bill C-69, the anti-pipeline bill, scrap the energy cap and get rid of the tanker ban.
He added his government would rapidly approve resource projects within six months and LNG Quebec and Saguenay, “which means the Quebecers will become richer and more prosperous, and that in itself will reduce the burden on [Western] taxpayers.”
“We need to unleash massive economic growth in this country, for every single province,” said Poilievre.
“After the lost Liberal decade, of a declining economy, we have the smallest GDP growth of any other country in the G7.”
“The Liberals have done nothing but divide provinces against each other, I want to unite this country. I want to unlock a massive move nationwide of energy production, homebuilding and opportunities for Canadians, and that’s what’s going to bring our people together.”