Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre at Nanaimo's Maffeo Sutton Park on Wednesday, Sept. 4 following the end of the confidence and supply deal between the federal NDP and governing Liberals. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Poilievre visits Nanaimo

Federal Conservative leader makes campaign-style address in Nanaimo

Sep 4, 2024 | 1:29 PM

NANAIMO — Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre wants federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh to call a federal election as soon as possible.

Speaking from Nanaimo’s Maffeo Sutton Park on Wednesday, Sept. 4, Poilievre ‘s comments were made after Singh announced earlier in the day that his party was pulling out of the confidence and supply agreement with the federal Liberals.

Poilievre accused “sell-out Singh” of pulling a publicity stunt.

“If you’re serious about ending your costly, carbon-tax coalition with Trudeau, then commit today, for voting for a carbon tax election.”

Poilievre was asked what his party could do in an attempt to force an election before the scheduled trip to the polls next fall.

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“It’ll depend on whether ‘sell-out Singh’ is serious, or a stuntman. Will he vote for a carbon-tax election at the earlier opportunity, or will he vote again to keep the costly coalition with Trudeau in power, to hike taxes, double housing costs, and unless crime and drugs on your street.”

The House of Commons will be back in session on Sept. 16.

The deal, struck in March of 2022, would have kept the minority government led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau intact until next spring.

Poilievre launched into a campaign-style speech on Nanaimo’s waterfront, pointing to various economic hardships Canadians have faced since Prime Minister Trudeau has been at the helm since 2015.

When asked by NanaimoNewsNOW about a recent crime spree alleged to have been caused by a known offender who was wielding a machete while out on bail, Poilievre clarified his ‘jail before bail’ plan.

“My common-sense plan is to repeal the NDP-Liberal catch and release system, and replace it with a law that bans anyone with a long rap sheet of serious offences from having bail, parole, probation, or house arrest. It’ll automatically be jail, not bail, jail, not bail, so that offenders like this are behind bars and our people can feel safe in our streets.”

While the end of the Liberal/NDP coalition does not guarantee an early election will be called, the federal NDP will now vote on Liberal legislation on a case-by-case basis, Singh stated on Wednesday.

The Liberals acted on several NDP priorities under the supply and confidence agreement, including dental-care benefits, one-time rental supplements for low-income tenants, 10 days of paid sick leave for federally regulated workers and a temporary doubling of the GST rebate.

The New Democrats also used the deal to push forward items such as pharmacare, a ban on replacement workers during a strike or lockout at federally regulated workplaces, and a housing accelerator fund that allocated billions of dollars to help build homes across Canada.

Poilievre is widely considered a favourite to be the country’s next prime minister, with polls consistently indicating he has considerably more support than the governing Liberals and NDP.

Poilievre’s visit to Nanaimo takes place a week prior to a federal Liberal caucus retreat in the Harbour City.

—–With files from The Canadian Press.

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