Tory leader Pierre Poilievre greeted a cheering crowd at a campaign rally in North York, ON, Sunday night, as federal leaders gear up for the April 28 election.
Prime Minister Mark Carney triggered a spring election earlier on Sunday, before he flew to Newfoundland for his first campaign event, where he was greeted by protesting fishermen.
The Conservatives chose to open their campaign in Toronto, with video footage showing a long line of supporters accumulated outside the venue and a ballroom filled with thousands of people.
Poilievre listed the factors of the Conservatives’ “Bring it Home” plan that includes repealing Bill C-69, the legislation that blocks new pipelines from being built, cutting taxes and removing the cap on energy production.
He said the Liberals are running on their tired policies they’ve been imposing for a decade, while his party will be a movement of change.
“They are the same Liberals with the same ministers, the same MPs, the same advisors, the same policies, and even today, making the same promises that they've been breaking for over 10 years,” said Poilievre.
“And who did they choose to break to bring in Mr. Carney? What we have is out of touch, weak leadership, and for Mr. Carney, someone who will not stand up for our country.”
Poilievre said between tariffs imposed by the US and Carney’s carbon tax, “hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs [will] move south of the border.”
“There will be a large sucking sound of Canadian jobs leaving the country to put Carney carbon tax on steel, on fertilizer, on aluminum, on basically every industrial product that we rely on for our modern civilization faces this new tax,” he said.
“After 10 years of this Liberal government and three terms, they've driven a half trillion dollars out of our economy, most of it into the hands of the Americans. They did it by bringing in radical net zero environmental experience.”
Poilievre reaffirmed his party's plans to unleash Ontario’s Ring of Fire, support skilled trade workers with apprenticeship programs, crackdown on crime and restore Canada’s borders.
He said the Tories will increase border security with drones, fighter jets, 2000 more Canada Border Security Agency officers and security towers that will be able to inspect shipping containers and make the Canadian Armed Forces a respected institution again by cutting back on foreign aid and spending it on the military instead.
“We will restore order at the border,” he said.
“Liberals have broken the border, allowing 99% of shipping containers to enter without any inspection at all. That's where the drugs and stolen cars are able to move [across borders].”
Poilievre also confirmed his commitment to “shovel ready zones” to build infrastructure, crackdown on opioid trafficking and dependence, build houses, limit immigration and his Arctic strategy.
“Our Canada First plan starts with reinvesting and taking back control of our Arctic seas, skies and soil from incursions by the Chinese and Russians,” said Poilievre.
“So the Liberals could not even shoot down a Chinese spy balloon. I think it was actually a weather balloon, but they couldn't stop that either, because they've cut back on our Forces and disrespected, wasted money and put the dollars into bureaucracy.”
“We will ensure we have fighter jets, decided surveillance aircraft that can look down and intercept and interrupt the work of the Chinese and Russians with their submarines.”