Tory MP Michelle Rempel Garner is joining Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown as the national campaign co-chair for his bid to become the next leader of the Conservative Party.
“For Western Canadians, the stakes have been high—three election losses to the Liberals have meant massive job losses, unaffordable living, and inequity,” he said.
His plan for Western Canada includes having electoral seat redistribution to be based on representation by population, and changing the current federal equalization program.
“These changes would acknowledge that programs like the Canada Health Transfer and the Canada Social Transfer already provide equitable stable funding for provincial social programs, would ensure all regions are treated equally, and would serve to remove disincentives for provinces to improve their fiscal situations,” the platform said.
Another promise is investment in Western Canada’s fossil fuel sector. Brown pledged to build the country’s oil and gas sector and promote it globally.
“This will protect Canadian energy security and stop offshoring Canadian energy jobs to countries like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela,” he said.
“This will ensure Canada can meet the energy security needs of our friends and allies, like the European Union and Ukraine.”
He added that setting caps on greenhouse gas emissions should be the sole jurisdiction of the provincial governments, and Ottawa should play no part in it.
Brown’s platform didn’t mention supporting or getting rid of the federal carbon tax.
“He and I disagree on his carbon tax,” Poilievre said.
“I can’t understand that point of view. Right now, Canadians are paying upwards of $1.70 a litre. Many Canadians feel like they can’t even have the freedom of mobility because it’s too expensive to gas up their vehicles and get where they’re going. … I will get rid of the tax. I will pursue technology not taxes, results and not revenue.”
Poilievre has the highest number of endorsements from Conservative MPs and senators compared to other candidates by a wide margin.
