'Carbon tax election' front and centre as Poilievre rallies CPC caucus

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OTTAWA — As MPs prepare for what promises to be a raucous fall sitting of the House of Commons, Canada’s Conservative leader spent Sunday morning rallying his troops with an eye to triggering a “carbon tax election.”

Instead of holding a caucus retreat in Nanaimo, B.C., or Montreal like the Liberals and NDP, the Conservatives opted to meet in their own caucus room in Parliament’s West Block, one day before the House begins its fall session.

“I’m not going to force you to listen to the Rocky Balboa theme song today as (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau did in his caucus,” Poilievre said to appreciative laughs from the room full of Conservative MPs and senators, referring to Trudeau’s choice of Survivor’s 1982 hit, Eye of the Tiger, as his entrance music at the Liberals’ recent retreat.

“Apparently, part of his strategy to survive the latest uprisings against his leadership was to force his caucus members to nod in agreement that he is, in fact, Rocky Balboa. Every time Justin Trudeau sees a movie, he thinks of himself as the star performer.”

Poilievre has basked in the glow of positive summer poll numbers, as Trudeau’s approval ratings among Canadians plummeted.

Trudeau’s minority government faces an uncertain autumn after NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced earlier this month he would be tearing up the two-year-old supply-and-confidence agreement that assured NDP support for any confidence votes facing the Liberals.

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Poilievre last Wednesday promised to trigger a confidence motion in the House as soon as possible, and encouraged Singh to help topple the government and force an election — what Poilievre touts will be a “national referendum” on the carbon tax.

“‘Sell-out’ Jagmeet Singh wants you to believe he’s a changed man,” Poilievre said, accusing Singh of running out the clock on the current government so he’ll be able to collect his MP’s pension — something he’ll be eligible for next year.

“If Jagmeet Singh gets the chance, he will reverse himself once again and sell out the people in order to vote in favour of this carbon tax coalition,” added Poilievre. “Canadians cannot wait.”

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
X: @bryanpassifiume