TORONTO — Pierre Poilievre stood in front of an Ottawa gas station this week to hammer the Liberal government over rising fuel costs, inflation, and what he called a decade of economic mismanagement, promising to scrap fuel taxes and rein in spending if elected.Framing affordability as the central issue facing Canadians, Poilievre said high energy costs are cascading through the economy, driving up prices for housing, groceries, and transportation.“Affordable energy is the lifeblood of a growing economy,” he said, arguing that workers, from truckers to tradespeople, are being squeezed by taxes and regulation that make everyday life more expensive.The Conservative leader contrasted his vision with that of Prime Minister Mark Carney, accusing the Liberal government of increasing spending while failing to deliver results.“He said he would spend less. He’s spending more,” Poilievre said, adding that deficits have ballooned and economic indicators have worsened, including housing affordability and food prices..Poilievre claimed Canada now faces some of the highest inflation pressures in the G7, with rising rents and grocery bills pushing more Canadians toward food banks.The backdrop of a gas station underscored Poilievre’s core message, eliminating fuel taxes to provide immediate relief.He pegged the cost of removing those taxes at roughly $5.25 billion, framing it instead as “savings” that would go directly back to Canadians.“The government is too rich, and the people are too poor,” he said.Poilievre suggested offsetting the lost revenue by cancelling major federal spending initiatives, including a proposed $90-billion infrastructure project he dismissed as a “boondoggle.”Throughout the press conference, Poilievre repeatedly tied economic struggles to Liberal policy decisions, including deficit spending, regulatory barriers, and taxation.He accused the government of failing to use recently granted powers to accelerate major projects, noting that no new pipelines have been approved and housing construction remains stagnant.“He promised growth. He delivered decline,” Poilievre said, pointing to what he described as a shrinking economy and rising unemployment.Asked about comments related to Iranian asylum seekers, Poilievre drew a distinction between immigrants and members of Iran’s ruling regime.He said Canada has benefited from Iranian newcomers but warned that individuals tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, IRGC, have allegedly entered the country due to weak screening.“We should deport regime thugs who are here to harass Canadians,” he said, citing reports of IRGC-linked individuals living in Canada.The gas station setting and focus on affordability signal the Conservatives’ broader campaign strategy, tying everyday costs directly to federal policy and presenting tax cuts as immediate relief.Poilievre closed by reiterating his party’s core message, lower taxes, reduced spending, and increased domestic energy production as the path to restoring what he called a more “affordable, safe, and strong” Canada.
