Poilievre says Conservatives will fight for change in new session of Parliament
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says his caucus will be pushing measures to make Canada more affordable, safe, self-reliant and united, as Conservative MPs prepare to return to Parliament without him.
"We've expanded our coalition to include union workers, young people, newcomers and others who had never voted before," Poilievre told his energetic caucus in Ottawa on Sunday afternoon. "They voted for hope, for a change.
"And while we narrowly missed forming a government, we now have every duty to fulfil that hope and fight for that change."
Poilievre's caucus remarks included many ideas he presented during the 2025 federal election campaign, including boosting home construction by cutting taxes and red tape, removing the industrial carbon tax and strengthening punishments for violent crimes.
But the Conservative leader added a new item to his team's checklist — demanding a spring budget "that reveals the true deficit [and] lowers spending, taxes and inflation."
Last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney said his Liberal government will table a budget this fall, a decision he argued is the right one because there's "not much value" in rushing out a budget at the earliest opportunity.
WATCH | Poilievre addresses Conservative MPs in Ottawa:
Poilievre says Conservatives will fight for change in caucus remarks
39 minutes ago
Duration 1:36
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre addressed his caucus on Sunday, the day before Parliament returns without him, saying his team will work to make Canada more 'affordable, safe, self-reliant and united.' He said the Conservatives will demand a spring budget from the Liberal government, after Prime Minister Mark Carney said it will table a budget this fall.
On the campaign trail, Carney frequently criticized Poilievre for his sloganeering and repeatedly said "a slogan is not a plan." During his caucus remarks on Sunday, the Conservative leader turned the tables, saying "a budget is a plan. It's literally a plan."
"Workers and small businesses have carried this morbidly obese government on their backs," Poilievre said. "Lowering the cost of government will lower the cost of living."
Although Poilievre spent a good portion of his remarks criticizing Liberal policies — as expected from the Opposition party — he did say the Conservatives would work with Carney to get rid of U.S. tariffs on Canada.
He also reiterated proposals he has argued will strengthen Canada's domestic economy, including building more mines, pipelines, liquefied natural gas plants and hydroelectric dams.
"We must be the fastest place in the [Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development] to get a building permit," Poilievre said. "And we must have the lowest taxes on work, investment, energy and home building."
A House of Commons without Poilievre
The Conservatives won 144 seats in the recent federal election, but Poilievre's seat in Carleton, near Ottawa, was not one of them. He lost to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy by more than 4,000 votes.
Conservative MP Damien Kurek plans to give up his seat in Alberta to allow Poilievre to run there in a byelection. Carney has said he intends to call a byelection as soon as possible.
In the meantime, former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer will serve as the leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons and Poilievre has appointed 73 people as critics on specific files.
Poilievre has closed his constituency and Parliament Hill offices following his election defeat, but he's expected to stay in Stornoway — Canada's residence for the leader of the Official Opposition — despite losing that title.
"Given that Mr. Poilievre hopes to be re-elected as a Member of Parliament in a few months and Prime Minister Carney promised to hold the byelection quickly, it would be more costly to taxpayers to move the family out and then right back into the residence," Scheer said in a statement in mid-March.
"I have no intention to move into the residence and so we expect the family will just remain there through this short transition phase."
Parliament will return on Monday. MPs will first need to select a speaker, an impartial arbiter of House proceedings who maintains order during debates.
Conservatives Chris d'Entremont and Tom Kmiec have sent letters to their fellow MPs pitching themselves for the Speaker's role. D'Entremont has served as Deputy Speaker since 2021.
On Tuesday, King Charles will read the throne speech in the Senate at about 11 a.m. ET, marking the opening of the 45th Parliament of Canada. It's expected to take up to 25 minutes.
The speech is written by the federal government and lays out its priorities and plans for the new session of Parliament. The King's visit will mark the third time a Canadian monarch has read the throne speech in Canada.
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