TORONTO—The carbon tax was the main focus of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s campaign-like rally in Toronto over the weekend, drawing around 2,500 supporters to the Liberal-held riding of Etobicoke North.
Ontario resident Kathy Katula, who joined Mr. Poilievre on stage, shared an encounter she had with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a 2017 town hall meeting where she had famously pleaded with him to help address the rising cost of heating her home due to the Liberal government’s carbon tax.
“I haven’t been able to visit [my grandkids] in three years because the carbon tax cost me over $200 a month. Axe the tax,” she said during the March 10 rally at the Toronto Congress Centre.
Mr. Poilievre has long touted the slogan “Axe the Tax” to call for the removal of the carbon tax. The tax is set for a 23 percent hike on April 1, reaching $80 per tonne this year. The federal carbon tax increases by $15 per tonne annually, targeting a benchmark of $170 per tonne by 2030.
Mr. Poilievre has been holding rallies around the country as polls continue to show the Conservatives holding a sizeable lead in popular support over the Liberals. The latest data from polling aggregator 338.ca indicates the Tories have 42 percent support, with the Liberals trailing at 24 percent, and the NDP at 19 percent.
During the March 10 rally, Mr. Poilievre discussed various implications of the carbon tax, highlighting its impact on farming and the transportation of goods. He said the upcoming tax raise is expected to contribute to the rise in grocery bills and exacerbate the housing crisis.
“The carbon tax will make homebuilding even more expensive as all the raw materials that go into homes have to be shipped to the construction site... and that further drives the housing crisis we have before us today,” he said.
The Tory leader voiced concerns about Canada’s economic resilience and competitiveness, citing challenges faced by industries such as steel manufacturing. Production costs in these sectors doubled due to Ottawa’s carbon tax, he said, prompting a shift towards increased imports from countries like China, where he noted pollution levels are significantly higher.
Mr. Poilievre also pointed out the increasing reliance on food banks, with 2 million people reportedly lining up monthly for the program. He also mentioned a Facebook network known as the dumpster diving community, where 8,000 members share tips on obtaining food from garbage cans.
“Canadians can no longer afford to pay after eight years of Trudeau,” Mr. Poilievre said. “The good news is, life was not like this before Justin Trudeau, and it won’t be like this after he’s gone.”
Mr. Poilievre said his proposed policy overhaul has garnered support from an increasing number of former Liberal supporters, including former MP John Nunziata, who served in Ontario from 1982 to 1996. Mr. Nunziata, later elected an Independent MP in 1997, also joined Mr. Poilievre onstage during the Sunday rally.
