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Epoch Times
18-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Tories Promise to Cut Consultant Spending, Liberals Say This Election ‘Most Consequential'
As advance polling entered the third day on April 20, the Conservatives pledged to eliminate the ' Speaking at a 'Ten billion dollars less for high-priced consultants means $10 billion less inflation means $10 billion more affordable life for Canadians,' the Tory leader told reporters. The move is part of the broader plan to end the 'out-of-control inflationary spending' by the Liberal government in the past decade and to 'bring home affordable prices and food for all Canadians,' he said. The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) reported in 2023 that – 23, with the largest spendings in categories such as engineering and architectural services, business services, information services, health and welfare services, and management consulting. Poilievre said 'overspending' by the Liberal government has driven up taxes as well as food and housing costs. Related Stories 4/19/2025 4/19/2025 'Inflation is what happens when governments spend money they don't have, so they just print the cash. More money bidding on a fixed supply of goods equals higher prices for everything,' he said. Statistics Canada on April 15 Besides capping spending, Poilievre pledged he would get rid of the Impact Assessment Act, previously known as 'We will unleash our economy by removing anti-development laws, red tape, and destructive taxes to add a half a trillion dollars of extra economic growth over the next five years,' he said. His proposals will generate an extra $70 billion in tax revenue, 'without higher taxes, but instead using higher growth,' he added. The amount, Poilievre said, was a number Poilievre also took aim at the 'A fourth Liberal government would bring in a quarter trillion dollars of additional debt. That's inflationary debt that will drive up the cost of food, housing, and everything else you buy,' the Conservative leader said. Carney's platform forecasts adding some $225 billion to the federal debt over the same four-year period. The Liberal leader had defended the proposal during his platform announcement, saying it is 'not a normal fall update, budget lockup.' 'We are in the middle of the biggest crisis of our lifetimes, and this is a plan that meets that moment in a way that is very prudent with people's hard-earned tax dollars, but bold in terms of where this country can go,' Carney said while at a campaign stop in Whitby, Ontario, on April 19. Carney commented that the Liberal government had been 'spending too much' previously and promised he would bring down the growth of federal spending from 9 percent to 2 percent. 'Most Consequential' On Sunday afternoon, April 20, Carney held a In line with remarks made at previous campaign stops, the Liberal leader framed the upcoming election as a critical moment for Canada's future, repeating one of his key lines—that 'we're in a crisis' because Canada's 'old relationship [with the United States] is over,' due to the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. 'This is the most consequential vote of our lifetimes,' Carney told supporters. 'We need a leader who can stand up to [Trump].' At one point during the rally, Carney touted his achievements as prime minister, such as ending the federal Carney's campaign on the same day issued a A day earlier, speaking at a Poilievre has a press conference scheduled on Monday morning, April 21. 'Price Gouging' NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was in Victoria, B.C., on Sunday, where he promised to put 'emergency price caps' on food essentials and to legislate protections against what his party views as 'unjustified markups on Canadian goods' that constitute 'price gouging.' 'If you're raising prices on Canadian goods when the producers haven't changed a thing—that's not inflation. That's gouging,' Singh said in a Singh's plan also includes a mandatory 'Grocery Code of Conduct,' which his party said will 'hold big retailers accountable and ensure workers aren't penalized.' The NDP will also impose a 'windfall tax on grocery profits,' among the changes that the party said will be included in the first federal budget after the election if the NDP is elected to form government. Chandra Philip contributed to this report.
Toronto Star
28-04-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
Canada has a multibillion-dollar defence deal with the U.S. on the table. What now?
Ottawa soon will have a $74-billion decision to make. That's the estimated cost of buying 88 American-made F-35 Lightning II fighter jets and maintaining them over the next several decades, as calculated by the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO).
Hamilton Spectator
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Pierre Poilievre says he'll honour Ottawa's auto agreements — but not the Liberals' EV quota rules
A Pierre Poilievre -led government would maintain all existing government agreements for the auto sector, the Conservative leader said Thursday. 'We will honour all agreements for the auto sector that the government has made, but we will not force Canadians to pay a $20,000 tax on automobiles,' Poilievre said at a news conference in Halifax. 'We will continue to support the battery plants, the EVs and the other commitments the government has made, because we don't believe in tearing up agreements.' The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated in 2024 that federal support for electric vehicle investment in Canada totalled as much as $31.4 billion, while provincial support was up to $21.1 billion. But the '$20,000 tax' Poilievre referred to — the focus of his announcement on Thursday — is tied to former prime minister Justin Trudeau's target that zero-emission vehicles should make up 20 per cent of new car sales starting in 2026 , growing to 100 per cent by 2035. The Conservative leader has now renamed part of the policy the 'Car(ney) tax,' in reference to Liberal Leader Mark Carney. Poilievre has claimed that if automakers don't meet those quotas, they may be fined up to $20,000 for every vehicle they fall short of that target total — in other words, car manufacturers who sell gas-powered vehicles exceeding the 'Liberal quota' will be slapped with a '$20,000 tax' per vehicle. 'I think they're trying to say not selling enough EVs is the same as selling too many gas cars. And so they're kind of simultaneously saying not enough EVs is a $20,000 fine, and too many gas cars is a $20,000 tax,' said Joanna Kyriazis, the director of public affairs at Clean Energy Canada. But neither of those claims are accurate, Kyriazis said. While both B.C. and Quebec have zero-emission vehicle mandates that come with a $20,000 penalty per vehicle that misses the quota, the federal regulations are different. 'Under the federal EV availability standard, there are no monetary penalties for non-compliance,' Kyriazis said. 'The $20,000 that they're referring to is a compliance pathway where if a carmaker cannot meet its requirements in a given year based on how many EVs it makes available for sale in Canada, that carmaker can instead choose to invest in charging infrastructure to earn credits instead,' she said. 'And for every $20,000 invested in charging infrastructure, a carmaker can earn one credit. So it's not a penalty, it's a compliance flexibility.' Poilievre's suggestion, therefore, that an automaker selling too many gas-powered cars will get hit with a $20,000 'tax' is misleading, Kyriazis said. She said that aside from investing in charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, manufacturers can also purchase credits from other automakers — something Poilievre has argued will benefit foreign carmakers like Tesla. There are also grace periods, Kyriazis said, 'where if an automaker doesn't comply in a given year, they have a couple more years to make it up and earn and sell more EVs in future years.' 'There's a lot of wiggle room in any given year,' she said. 'If they can't earn enough credits in a given year using any of those compliance pathways, then they are at risk of federal prosecution.' The Conservatives have pointed to research that indicates that the mandate will lead to job losses in the auto sector, and on Thursday highlighted an endorsement from Brian Kingston, the head of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, who said that 'mandating EV sales when the auto industry is under attack from U.S. tariffs is putting the puck in our own net.' Nevertheless, Poilievre said in Halifax he had 'nothing against electric cars.' 'If you want one, buy one. Free choice. Make your own decision. I encourage you to buy one that's made in Canada.' In their campaign platform released Tuesday, the Conservatives said they would generate $11.2 billion in revenue over four years from cancelling the mandate. Kyriazis said her interpretation of that figure is that the Conservatives believe scrapping the policy will lead to economic growth in Canada's auto sector, generating billions in revenue and associated tax revenue for the government. 'But I just want to point to (how) Canada's auto sector started winning when the EV transition started becoming real,' Kyriazis said. 'If we are removing policies that are supportive of the EV transition, that's a bad news story for our auto sector, not a good news story.' With files from Alex Ballingall The federal Conservatives are funnelling resources into Pierre Poilievre's local campaign, The Conservatives' costed platform, dropped Tuesday, reveals a new pledge to 'ban new or higher
Toronto Star
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Toronto Star
Pierre Poilievre says he'll honour Ottawa's auto agreements — but not the Liberals' EV quota rules
A Pierre Poilievre -led government would maintain all existing government agreements for the auto sector, the Conservative leader said Thursday. 'We will honour all agreements for the auto sector that the government has made, but we will not force Canadians to pay a $20,000 tax on automobiles,' Poilievre said at a news conference in Halifax. 'We will continue to support the battery plants, the EVs and the other commitments the government has made, because we don't believe in tearing up agreements.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated in 2024 that federal support for electric vehicle investment in Canada totalled as much as $31.4 billion, while provincial support was up to $21.1 billion. But the '$20,000 tax' Poilievre referred to — the focus of his announcement on Thursday — is tied to former prime minister Justin Trudeau's target that zero-emission vehicles should make up 20 per cent of new car sales starting in 2026, growing to 100 per cent by 2035. The Conservative leader has now renamed part of the policy the 'Car(ney) tax,' in reference to Liberal Leader Mark Carney. Poilievre has claimed that if automakers don't meet those quotas, they may be fined up to $20,000 for every vehicle they fall short of that target total — in other words, car manufacturers who sell gas-powered vehicles exceeding the 'Liberal quota' will be slapped with a '$20,000 tax' per vehicle. 'I think they're trying to say not selling enough EVs is the same as selling too many gas cars. And so they're kind of simultaneously saying not enough EVs is a $20,000 fine, and too many gas cars is a $20,000 tax,' said Joanna Kyriazis, the director of public affairs at Clean Energy Canada. But neither of those claims are accurate, Kyriazis said. While both B.C. and Quebec have zero-emission vehicle mandates that come with a $20,000 penalty per vehicle that misses the quota, the federal regulations are different. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW 'Under the federal EV availability standard, there are no monetary penalties for non-compliance,' Kyriazis said. 'The $20,000 that they're referring to is a compliance pathway where if a carmaker cannot meet its requirements in a given year based on how many EVs it makes available for sale in Canada, that carmaker can instead choose to invest in charging infrastructure to earn credits instead,' she said. 'And for every $20,000 invested in charging infrastructure, a carmaker can earn one credit. So it's not a penalty, it's a compliance flexibility.' Poilievre's suggestion, therefore, that an automaker selling too many gas-powered cars will get hit with a $20,000 'tax' is misleading, Kyriazis said. She said that aside from investing in charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, manufacturers can also purchase credits from other automakers — something Poilievre has argued will benefit foreign carmakers like Tesla. There are also grace periods, Kyriazis said, 'where if an automaker doesn't comply in a given year, they have a couple more years to make it up and earn and sell more EVs in future years.' 'There's a lot of wiggle room in any given year,' she said. 'If they can't earn enough credits in a given year using any of those compliance pathways, then they are at risk of federal prosecution.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The Conservatives have pointed to research that indicates that the mandate will lead to job losses in the auto sector, and on Thursday highlighted an endorsement from Brian Kingston, the head of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, who said that 'mandating EV sales when the auto industry is under attack from U.S. tariffs is putting the puck in our own net.' Nevertheless, Poilievre said in Halifax he had 'nothing against electric cars.' 'If you want one, buy one. Free choice. Make your own decision. I encourage you to buy one that's made in Canada.' In their campaign platform released Tuesday, the Conservatives said they would generate $11.2 billion in revenue over four years from cancelling the mandate. Kyraizis said her interpretation of that figure is that the Conservatives believe scrapping the policy will lead to economic growth in Canada's auto sector, generating billions in revenue and associated tax revenue for the government. 'But I just want to point to (how) Canada's auto sector started winning when the EV transition started becoming real,' Kyriazis said. 'If we are removing policies that are supportive of the EV transition, that's a bad news story for our auto sector, not a good news story.' With files from Alex Ballingall Federal Election Conservatives pour resources into Pierre Poilievre's riding amid fears of a tight race The federal Conservatives are funnelling resources into Pierre Poilievre's local campaign, Federal Election Pierre Poilievre pledges 'ban' on new taxes in costed platform that projects $14 billion deficit in four years The Conservatives' costed platform, dropped Tuesday, reveals a new pledge to 'ban new or higher Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. 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Toronto Star
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Toronto Star
Conservatives won't axe billions in federal agreements supporting automakers, battery plants, Poilievre says
OTTAWA—A Pierre Poilievre -led government would maintain all existing government agreements for the auto sector, the Conservative leader said Thursday. 'We will honour all agreements for the auto sector that the government has made, but we will not force Canadians to pay a $20,000 tax on automobiles,' Poilievre said at a news conference in Halifax, referencing the Trudeau government's target that zero-emission vehicles make up 20 per cent of new car sales starting in 2026. 'We will continue to support the battery plants, the EVs and the other commitments the government has made, because we don't believe in tearing up agreements.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The Parliamentary Budget Officer estimated in 2024 that federal support for electric vehicle investment in Canada totalled as much as $31.4 billion, while provincial support was up to $21.1 billion. The Conservative leader pledged in his campaign platform, released Tuesday, that he would maintain existing support, while also slashing the GST on Canadian-made vehicles while U.S. tariffs are in place. More to come Federal Election Conservatives pour resources into Pierre Poilievre's riding amid fears of a tight race The federal Conservatives are funnelling resources into Pierre Poilievre's local campaign, Federal Election Pierre Poilievre pledges 'ban' on new taxes in costed platform that projects $14 billion deficit in four years The Conservatives' costed platform, dropped Tuesday, reveals a new pledge to 'ban new or higher Politics Headlines Newsletter Get the latest news and unmatched insights in your inbox every evening Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. Please enter a valid email address. Sign Up Yes, I'd also like to receive customized content suggestions and promotional messages from the Star. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Politics Headlines Newsletter You're signed up! You'll start getting Politics Headlines in your inbox soon. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page.
