Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre have announced proposals on matters such as reducing interprovincial trade barriers, lowering income taxes, and spurring the construction of homes and major infrastructure projects.
However, the leaders differ in their views when it comes to dealing with energy policies, immigration levels, foreign aid, as well as issues related to culture.
Economy, Jobs, and Cost of Living
Liberals: Carney has promised expenditures on infrastructure like highways, rail, and ports to improve Canada’s economic competitiveness and allow for more trade routes.To facilitate this effort, he has pledged a $5 billion fund devoted to building infrastructure, saying it would help to diversify trade as well as create new jobs. He has also said he would facilitate better cooperation between Canada’s ports to streamline trade.
(L-R) Liberal Leader Mark Carney; Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick; Adrian Wyld
The plan follows Carney’s earlier announcements on the creation of national trade and energy corridors to “diversify and strengthen” Canada’s economy. He has said he wants to make Canada an “energy superpower in both clean and conventional energy,” and said he would implement a “one window” approval process to expedite the development of major projects. He has also said he would provide more funding for regional development agencies.
Carney has announced a $200 million fund to help build food processing capacity in rural areas, and he has allocated other funds to help farmers. He has also said Canada’s supply management system is non-negotiable.
Since becoming prime minister, Carney has convened the first ministers to discuss removing trade barriers between provinces. He said his government would remove federal barriers standing in the way of free interprovincial trade by July 1.
Carney has said he would reduce the federal personal income tax rate on the lowest tax bracket from 15 percent to 14 percent, saving two-income families up to $825 a year. He has also cancelled the Trudeau government’s planned hike in the capital gains inclusion rate.
On March 26, Carney announced a $2 billion federal fund for Canada’s auto industry, with an emphasis on helping auto workers keep their jobs and improve their skills. This was the same day U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25 percent tariffs on all cars and car parts manufactured outside the country.
Carney has said he would use proceeds from retaliatory tariffs to help impacted Canadians. His government has removed the one-week employment insurance waiting period, allowed businesses to defer tax payments in light of tariffs, and raised the Indigenous Loan Guarantee to $10 billion.
Carney’s government has also announced an expansion to the dental care program.
Men work at a construction site in downtown Toronto in a file photo. The Canadian Press/Eduardo Lima
Conservatives: Poilievre has said Canada needs to cut taxes to become more competitive compared to the United States, and avoid the shifting of Canadian investments and jobs south of the border.
The Conservative leader has promised certain zones that would have pre-approved permits for major construction and energy projects, saying it would allow more certainty for investors and lead to an economic boom.
In a bid to encourage more investments in Canada, he has also said individuals and businesses selling assets won’t pay capital gains tax if they reinvest the proceeds in Canada.
Poilievre has pledged to increase the contribution limit of the tax-free savings account by $5,000 if those investments are made in Canadian companies.
He has also promised to remove certain federal regulatory requirements, such as the Impact Assessment Act and emissions caps on oil and gas production in order to boost the energy sector, as well as accelerate mining developments in Ontario’s Ring of Fire region.
To boost employment for workers in the skilled trades, Poilievre has outlined plans for training grants and the harmonization of safety regulations between provinces to make it easier for people to work in different jurisdictions. As well, he has said he would expand tax write-offs for those in the trades who travel for work.
He has also said he would provide more grants to support the fishing industry. He has also said he wouldn’t remove supply management.
On interprovincial trade barriers, Poilievre has said he would prioritize an agreement on one standard set of trucking rules across Canada, create a “Blue Seal Professional Licensing Standard” for all doctors and engineers and other professionals that would be recognized in all jurisdictions, and offer provinces a “Free Trade Bonus.”
Further on taxes, Poilievre has promised to reduce the lowest federal personal income tax rate from from 15 percent to 12.75 percent, saying it would save a two-income family an estimated $1,800 per year.
Poilievre also announced that a Conservative government would allow seniors to earn up to $34,000 tax free, $10,000 more than the current amount. Regarding the Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), he proposed extending the age limit for mandatory withdrawals from 71 to 73, letting seniors save money tax free for two more years.
The Tories said they would also remove the annual tax increase on alcohol.
To help workers and businesses impacted by the tariffs, the Conservatives have said they would use the proceeds from retaliatory tariffs to help impacted Canadians. Poilievre has also said that he would remove GST on cars assembled in Canada as part of the effort to support the Canadian auto industry in light of the U.S. tariffs.
Click on the image to enlarge. The Epoch Times
Housing
When it comes to solutions to Canada’s housing crisis, the Conservatives and Liberals have in some cases put forth similar ideas. Both parties, for example, have proposed removing the federal sales tax (GST) from new homes, but they differ in what the cutoff in terms of home prices should be.Liberals: Carney’s housing plan, unveiled on March 31, includes making Ottawa a developer to build affordable housing on public lands. The plan also entails providing $25 billion in financing for prefabricated home builders. In addition, Carney has pledged to eliminate barriers to housing by reducing paperwork, taxes, and development fees and facilitating training for more construction workers.
A Carney government would also get rid of the GST from new and “substantially renovated” homes costing under $1 million.
Conservatives: Poilievre would eliminate the GST on new homes costing up to $1.3 million, which is up from the $1 million he announced in October 2024.
Poilievre said in 2023 that he would require cities to increase the number of homes they build by 15 percent, otherwise they would lose federal funding.
The Tories at the time had also proposed measures such as removing “gatekeepers” at the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation if they fail to speed up approval applications for housing to an average of 60 days, rewarding cities that meet homebuilding targets, withholding transit and infrastructure funding from cities that fail to build adequate high-density housing around transit, giving bonuses to municipalities that greatly exceeded housing targets, and listing 15 percent of the federal government’s 37,000 buildings to be turned into housing.
New homes are constructed in Ottawa on Aug. 14, 2023. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick
US Tariffs
U.S. tariffs have created economic uncertainty across Canada and are causing fears of layoffs.Liberals: Carney has maintained Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on the United States, and announced new ones on April 3 after the U.S. tariffs on the auto sector went into effect. Like former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Carney has said that the revenue collected from Canada’s retaliatory tariffs would go toward supporting workers in affected industries. He has also said he agreed with Trump to hold comprehensive Canada–U.S. trade negotiations as well as discussions on security issues following the election.
Conservatives: Poilievre has likewise said American goods should be targeted by retaliatory tariffs. He noted that this should target goods that Canada either doesn’t need, is able to manufacture itself, or can buy elsewhere. He has also said that the money from retaliatory tariffs should be used to support impacted workers and businesses, instead of being used on new government programs. Poilievre has said he would push for early renegotiations of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
Immigration
Both Poilievre and Carney have acknowledged that Canada has brought in too many immigrants in the last few years. Canada’s population increased from 38 million in July 2020 to an estimated over 41.6 million today due to a loosening of immigration policies. Ottawa made changes to its policies throughout 2024.Liberals: Carney has said he would cap immigration until it returns to its sustainable, pre-pandemic trend. Meanwhile, he has drawn criticism from the Conservatives for inviting Mark Wiseman, co-founder of the immigration lobby group The Century Initiative, to be part of the prime minister’s advisory council on Canada-U.S. relations. Century Initiative says it wants to grow Canada’s population to 100 million by 2100. Carney has said Wiseman won’t be involved in immigration policies.
Conservatives: Poilievre has criticized the Liberal government’s immigration policies and promised to tie Canada’s population growth rate to the availability of housing, services, and jobs.
Foreign Policy
Liberals: Two days after winning the Liberal leadership race on March 9, Carney spoke out against Israel cutting electricity to Gaza facilities receiving Israeli power.“Canada must work with our allies to stand up for international law to promote sustainable peace and security in the Middle East,” he said
His first international trip after being sworn in as prime minister on March 14 was to Europe to shore up Canada’s alliances with the United Kingdom and France. He said the purpose of the trip to Canada’s founding nations was to seek “reliable partners” in trade and security, saying the old relationship with the United States “is over.” He has said Canada is facing its “greatest crisis of our lifetime” because of the U.S. president.
During the Liberal leadership race, as a national security organization said leadership candidate and former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was the subject of “co-ordinated and malicious” cyberattacks likely by China, Carney issued a statement in support of her fellow contender. While he said he would stand “firm against any attempts to undermine our democracy,” he made no reference to China.
When talking about the need to build deeper ties with Asian countries, he said however that potential partners that share Canada’s values “don’t include China.”
“There’s certain activity that we could have with China. We obviously do have a large amount of trade with them, but we have to be very careful, very deliberate, and they need to meet Canadian standards,” he said.
The Liberals have also criticized the Conservatives for planning to cut foreign aid.
Conservatives: While Israel’s ambassador to Canada last October accused the Liberal government of shifting away from Canada’s historic support for Israel after Canadian cabinet ministers condemned Israeli military actions in Lebanon and Gaza and called for a ceasefire, Poilievre’s statement on the first anniversary of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel said the Conservatives “unapologetically stand with Israel.”
“Western democratic values depend on destroying Tehran’s proxy armies of Hamas and Hezbollah,” he said.
Poilievre has also maintained that Israel has a right to defend itself, and has advocated for Israel’s right to pre-emptively strike Iranian nuclear facilities.
In the face of U.S. tariffs and Trump’s comments about wanting Canada to be a part of the United States, Poilievre has said Canadians would “bear any burden” to protect the country’s sovereignty, and that he would always put Canada first.
China’s targeting of some Conservative MPs was among the topics included in the foreign interference inquiry. Poilievre has condemned China’s foreign interference activities in Canada, and said he would completely end any involvement by Canada in the China-created Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
Poilievre has said he will cut back foreign aid to other countries as part of efforts to pay for tax cuts, military spending, and other policies to benefit Canadians.
Steel pipe to be used in the oil pipeline construction of the Canadian government’s Trans Mountain Expansion Project lies at a stockpile site in Kamloops, B.C., on June 18, 2019. Dennis Owen/Reuters
Energy
Liberals: On his first day in office, Carney removed the federal fuel charge that applies to consumers, effective April 1, but he has pledged to strengthen the carbon tax applying to industry to compensate for the loss in emissions reductions.Carney has been a strong advocate of climate change policies. In his previous role as the U.N. Special Envoy on Climate Action and Finance, he had sought to have large financial institutions align key investment and lending decisions with climate goals.
On the campaign trail, Carney has pivoted away from climate change policies. He has said he is in favour of building east-west pipelines to reduce dependency on foreign oil and that his government would support developing other major energy projects, including developing a national energy corridor.
He has rejected Alberta’s call to remove the federal emissions cap on the oil and gas sector, and has said he would maintain the Impact Assessment Act, which Alberta dubs the “no more pipelines” law.
Conservatives: Poilievre responded to Carney’s decision to remove the fuel charge by saying a Conservative government would get rid of the entire carbon tax, including for industry, to give more power to provinces and boost economic growth.
The Conservatives have said they would remove the emissions cap, the Impact Assessment Act, and the legislation banning tankers on the West Coast to allow oil exports to Asian markets.
Poilievre has long supported expanding energy infrastructure and has said he would create pre-permitted zones to build major projects.
He also said he would meet the five policy recommendations outlined by CEOs of Canadian energy companies in a recent letter. These include simplifying regulation by removing legislation such as the Impact Assessment Act, committing to “firm deadlines” for project approvals, removing emission caps on the energy sector, removing the carbon tax on the industry, and providing indigenous loan guarantees to allow for indigenous co-investment opportunities.
Government Expenditures
Liberals: Before the election, Carney’s government announced an expansion to the dental care program. He has also touted the Trudeau government’s pharmacare and $10-a-day child care programs as being a success.There have been some examples of new programs and commitments with costs announced as well, but Carney has said a more detailed costed platform will be forthcoming soon.
Conservatives: The Conservatives had previously said the pharmacare bill was a means to maintain the “costly coalition” of the Liberals and the NDP while noting that pharmacare is under provincial jurisdiction. They had also criticized the Liberals’ child care program.
During a campaign stop in the Toronto area on March 25, Poilievre said he would “protect” the dental care and pharmacare programs, saying those who have them won’t lose them. The Tories will also announce a costed platform soon.
Cranes surround the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa as construction on centre block continues, on Jan. 24, 2025. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld
Budget
Liberals: During the Liberal leadership campaign, Carney raised concerns about the federal government consistently exceeding its spending targets and the federal workforce growing by over 40 percent since 2015. He has vowed to reduce government spending, cap the size of the public service, and increase private investment across Canada, which he defined as an overall goal to “spend less, invest more.”Carney also said a new ministry he has created, called government transformation, public services, and procurement, is focused on reviewing program spending to maximize outcomes, using technologies like AI and machine learning to make these programs more efficient.
The Liberal leader’s plan involves separating the federal government’s operating and capital budgets, making major changes to each, and balancing the operational budget within three years. Carney has also said he would run a “small deficit on capital spending that aligns with our fiscal capacity.”
Conservatives: Poilievre has vowed to “fix the budget” of the federal government by ensuring that every new dollar spent is accompanied by a dollar in savings.
The Tories have also said they would reduce spending by cutting outside consultants, corporate handouts, and government bureaucracy, noting that the size of the public service could be reduced simply by not replacing the more than 17,000 employees who leave their jobs each year.
Defence
Military spending has become a larger priority for the two major federal parties, given Trump’s pressure on countries that don’t meet their NATO spending commitment.Liberals: Carney’s government has vowed to strengthen Canada’s military by meeting NATO’s 2 percent of GDP defence spending target “by 2030 at the latest.” His government would modernize the military’s recruitment process to fill the Canadian Armed Forces’ shortage of 14,500 members, partner with allies on procurement for the next generation of aircrafts, and create a “first-in-class drone capability.”
A Liberal government would also expand the capabilities of the Navy with new submarines and icebreakers, Carney has said. He has also said he would raise the salary of military members.
Conservatives: The Tories have criticized the Liberal government on the defence file, saying Canada’s military is less prepared and equipped compared to the past, and that retention and recruitment have gone down.
In February, Poilievre announced his government would double the size of the Canadian Rangers force from 2,000 to 4,000, acquire two additional icebreakers, and build a permanent Arctic military base in Iqaluit within two years.
The Tories have also said they would meet the NATO spending target, and said there will be “more to come” on the military as their platform is unveiled.
A Canadian military Griffon helicopter flies along the shoreline of Baffin Island as it moves personnel between Operation Nanook and Iqaluit, in a file photo. The Canadian Press/Adrian Wyld
Public Safety
Liberals: Reducing crime has not been a focus for Carney during the Liberal leadership race or since the start of the campaign. While making the announcement on a new trade diversification fund on March 28, Carney said he would “strengthen the security of our ports, put more boots on the ground, and use new technologies to stop the traffic of drugs such as fentanyl, as well as illegal guns and stolen cars.”Conservatives: During the election campaign, the Conservatives have so far been the only ones to discuss public safety, with Poilievre promising “jail not bail” for criminals.
“What we need is a government that puts law-abiding Canadians first for a change by making sure that repeat offenders become permanently ineligible for bail, probation, parole, or house arrest,” he said on March 25.
Poilievre promised on March 28 to give life sentences to mass gun smugglers and human and fentanyl traffickers.
Cultural Issues
The Liberals and Conservatives typically disagree on a number of cultural issues such as gender ideology and whether Canada is systemically racist. Party leaders have so far refrained from putting much energy into discussing these matters on the campaign trail. The issue of the CBC and its funding has surfaced in the background.Liberals: From day one, the Trump administration has taken aim at DEI in the military and other federal bodies, calling the policy discriminatory and saying all government hiring “should be based solely on merit.” Carney alluded to this during a Liberal leadership event in February, comparing it to a “fever gripping America.”
“And while it rages, Canadians will remain resolute and true to our values. While America engages in a war on woke, Canadians will continue to value inclusiveness,” he said.
In his victory speech after winning the leadership on March 9, Carney praised Canadian multiculturalism, saying that “America is a melting pot, Canada is a mosaic.”
On the matter of the CBC, Carney said he would reform it to make it more “viable” and “vibrant.”
As part of reducing the size of cabinet, Carney removed the ministry of women and gender equality and youth, but moved the portfolio under Heritage Canada.
Conservatives: Poilievre has long said he would defund the CBC. He has accused the public broadcaster of being the “biased propaganda arm of the Liberal Party,” and said it has an unfair advantage over privately owned media since it receives government funding. On the campaign trail, however, the issue of defunding the CBC has not been a main focus, and in his platform for Quebec, Poilievre reiterated his promise to preserve funding for Radio-Canada, which oversees CBC’s French-language content and programming across the country.
While campaigning in Quebec City, Poilievre alluded to some other cultural phenomena in Canada in recent years, such as the tearing down of statues of historical figures, flying the Canadian flag at half-mast for months, and criticism or cancelling of the country’s history. He said the rest of Canada can draw lessons from Quebec.
“Quebecers do not tear down their statues, pull down their flags or hide who they are. They sing their songs, tell their stories, and wave their flags!” he said during a rally in Quebec City on March 26.
In rallies held around the country with large numbers of supporters, Poilievre often criticizes the “woke“ culture focused around identity politics, saying it divides Canadians. He has also said he would replace the military’s ”woke“ culture with a ”warrior culture.” The Canadian Armed Forces in recent years have adopted the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) model underpinned by postmodern ideologies such as critical race theory, which views the world as a power struggle between whites and other races.
People walk into the CBC building in Toronto in a file photo. The Canadian Press/Nathan Denette
Other Contentious Issues
While the economy and Canada’s relationship with the United States are at the forefront in this campaign, whichever party ends up forming government will have an immediate impact on some other consequential issues such as gun control, medical assistance in dying, and internet freedom.Liberals: Carney has not signalled he would backtrack on Trudeau’s gun control initiatives. A leading gun control advocate is also running as a candidate for the Liberals in the Montreal area.
Carney has not said yet whether he would continue with the Liberal Party’s effort to control the internet more tightly with online harms legislation. The Online Harms Act, Bill C-63, died on the order paper when Trudeau prorogued Parliament in early January. The bill sought on one end to protect children from exploitation online, and on the other to impose steep penalties for some forms of online speech.
Conservatives: The Tories have been opposed to the several gun control initiatives brought in by the Trudeau Liberals, saying they penalize law-abiding firearms owners instead of focusing on criminals. The gun buyback program for individuals, set to begin this spring, would likely not go ahead with a Conservative government.
Conservatives have also opposed Liberal legislation aimed at regulating online content, including the Online Harms Act, and the legislation brought in under Bill C-11 and C-18.
On medical assistance in dying, the Conservatives have criticized Ottawa’s approach of expanding the eligibility criteria for the procedure, with the next step being to allow those whose sole condition is mental illness to have access to euthanasia.
