Poilievre vows to scrap Liberal electric vehicle mandate
OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he'll do away with the Liberal electric vehicle mandate if he becomes prime minister after Monday's election.
Article content
Poilievre said at a Thursday event at a Halifax car dealership that the state has no place in the garages of Canadians.
Article content
'Conservatives will put (Canadians) back in the drivers seat for a change. You will decide what's good for you and your family,' Poilievre told supporters.
Article content
Article content
'Let me be clear, I have nothing against electric vehicles. If you want one, buy one. Free choice,' he added.
Article content
Article content
Under the Liberal plan, sales of gasoline-powered cars will be gradually phased out over the next decade, with a target of 100 per cent zero emission car sales by 2035.
Article content
Poilievre said that the Liberal mandate was effectively a $20,000 per car tax on gas-powered vehicles, which would go from the pockets of Canadian taxpayers to foreign automakers like Tesla.
Article content
Brian Kingston, the head of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association was quick to applaud Poilievre's announcement.
Article content
'Mandating EV sales when the auto industry is under attack from US tariffs is putting the puck in our own net. Scrapping the mandate is a smart policy and urgently needed,' wrote Kingston on social media.
Article content
Article content
Poilievre also said on Thursday that he'd keep billions in Liberal subsidies for domestic EV and battery plants, promising to honour all deals that have already been signed.
Article content
Article content
'(Conservatives) will continue to support… the commitments the government has made because we don't believe in tearing up agreements, we believe in supporting Canadian jobs right here in Canada,' said Poilievre.
Article content
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Global News
11 minutes ago
- Global News
Credit rating agency says Manitoba's recent tax changes outweigh affordability offers
The Manitoba government is expected to use more 'revenue levers,' similar to its recent income and property tax changes, as part of its plan to reduce the deficit, a credit-rating agency report says. S&P Global Ratings has affirmed the Manitoba government's existing short-term and long-term credit ratings and says the outlook for the province is stable, based in part on expected revenue changes and spending control. 'The stable outlook reflects our expectation that, despite economic growth and trade uncertainty, Manitoba will deploy revenue levers and expenditure management to generate stronger fiscal outcomes in the next two years,' the report, issued May 26, said. The NDP government, elected in 2023, has promised to reduce costs for Manitobans. It has taken out advertising to promote its cut to the provincial fuel tax, an increase to a tax credit for renters and other measures. Story continues below advertisement But the money forgone by the province for those measures is outweighed by recent tax changes that are boosting provincial revenues, a director with S&P said. That includes a change in this year's budget that will no longer see income tax brackets automatically rise in line with inflation. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'That alone is enough to offset all the affordability measures that they're putting in,' Bhavini Patel, director in S&P's Canadian international public finance group, said in an interview. The NDP government has promised to balance the budget before the next election, slated for 2027. That would end a string of annual deficits that stretches back almost continuously to 2009, with the exception of two surpluses. Part of the province's revenue growth has come from recent changes that will see many property owners and income-earners pay more. In last year's budget, the government changed the way education tax credits on property are calculated. The government estimated the change would net the province an extra $148 million a year, although that number is likely to grow due to recent increases in property assessments and taxes levied by school divisions. In this year's budget, the government stopped indexing income tax brackets and the basic personal exemption to inflation. By keeping the brackets and exemption constant as wages increase, unlike most provinces, the government is forecasting an extra $82 million in revenue. Story continues below advertisement Finance Minister Adrien Sala said he's not looking at future tax changes aimed at garnering more money, and is expecting an economic boost to increase revenue. 'I think the biggest driver of new revenues will be economic growth,' he said in an interview. He pointed to the recent start of construction of the Alamos gold mine near Lynn Lake as an example. The government is also looking at keeping annual spending growth in check in order to balance the budget, he said.
CBC
11 minutes ago
- CBC
Another Trudeau-appointed senator joins Conservative caucus
Sen. Mary Jane McCallum of Manitoba is now part of the Conservatives' Senate caucus — making her the second senator appointed by former prime minister Justin Trudeau to join the party this month. McCallum, who is Cree and a member of the Barren Lands First Nation, said she made the decision to join the Conservatives after consulting with chiefs and community leaders. "I feel strongly that this is a crucial step in building bridges," she said in a statement on Tuesday. "Our communities have long sought opportunities for greater collaboration and mutual understanding. By joining the Senate Conservative caucus, I hope to help broaden the conversation and ensure Indigenous perspectives are reflected across the full political spectrum." McCallum was appointed to the upper chamber in 2017 by Trudeau. She is the second senator appointed by the Liberal prime minister to join the Conservatives this month. New Brunswick Sen. David Richards joined the Conservative fold last week. McCallum and Richards — who both had been sitting as non-affiliated senators — join the Conservative caucus as its numbers have been dwindling in recent years. With the addition of McCallum, the Conservatives now have 13 members in the red chamber. But the Conservatives are still the smallest group in the Senate. The current standings in the Senate now sit at 46 senators in the Independent Senators Group, 21 in the Canadian Senators Group, 18 in the Progressive Senate Group and six non-affiliated senators, with one seat left to fill. Canadian senators must retire when they turn 75, which means that already small caucus will shrink later this year when Conservative Quebec Sen. Judith Seidman retires in September and Richards retires the following month. Newfoundland and Labrador Conservative Sen. Elizabeth Marshall is slated to retire in September of next year and Ontario Sen. Salma Ataullahjan's retirement date is set for April 2027. Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, Sen. Leo Housakos, said McCallum is a "principled leader and a tireless advocate for Canada's Indigenous communities." "Her expertise and unique perspective will be invaluable as we work to strengthen the Senate's role as a forum for open debate, diversity of thought, rigorous accountability and meaningful dialogue reflective of all Canadians," Housakos said in a statement on Tuesday. CBC News asked Housakos's office if the Conservatives have been actively trying to recruit senators. "We believe that having a diverse and growing membership is vital to ensuring the health and effectiveness of the Opposition in the Senate. A strong Opposition is essential to upholding the Senate's role as a chamber of sober second thought," a statement from his office said in response.
Toronto Sun
an hour ago
- Toronto Sun
Visitors on expired visas expected to leave on their own: Immigration Minister
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Lena Metlege Diab rises during Question Period on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Thursday, June 5, 2025. Photo by Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS Visitors who have stayed in Canada well past their visa expiry dates are required to leave the country on their own, Immigration Minister Lena Diab said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account It is not up to the Immigration Department to enforce the removal of deportees, she added. 'Anybody whose visa expired is expected to leave,' Diab said Monday night in the House of Commons, according to Blacklock's Reporter . A 2024 government briefing note indicated there may be up to half a million undocumented migrants in Canada. Conservative MP Michelle Rempel Garner questioned why the government allowed a large number of people into the country on temporary visas. 'Why is she persisting in letting in hundreds of thousands of people when Canada is in the middle of a health-care crisis?' said Rempel Garner. Diab replied that the Liberal government under new Prime Minister Mark Carney is 'working towards sustainable immigration by reducing our temporary resident numbers.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'That's baloney,' said Rempel Garner. 'All the statistics show they've actually increased those numbers. Meanwhile, Canadians can't get into an emergency room. Why are they persisting in bringing in hundreds of thousands of students and foreign workers on temporary visas when people can't find jobs?' According to Diab, Canada has allowed 290,000 new foreign students so far this year. However, she didn't address how many of the 1,040,985 international students in Canada in 2023 are still here after their study permits expired. 'The reality is there were way less than 290,000 housing starts last year and there's a lot more than 290,000 people waiting for family doctors right now,' Rempel Garner said. 'Why is she persisting in raising immigration levels when people can't find a doctor or a job?' Diab reiterated that the government is working on sustainable immigration levels. In April 2024, a briefing note titled Undocumented Migrants said the number of people who didn't leave after their visas expired could be as much as half a million. 'There are no accurate figures representing the number or composition of undocumented immigrants residing in Canada,' the note said. 'Estimates suggest the population could be a high as 500,000.' Read More NHL Toronto Maple Leafs NHL Columnists Toronto Blue Jays
