Conservative platform aims to trim deficit by 70%: Poilievre

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A Conservative government would cut Canada’s deficit by 70%, according the party’s newly released platform.

Speaking to reporters in Woodbridge on Tuesday, leader Pierre Poilievre unveiled his party’s plan to bring Canada out of the Trudeau years — a plan that he says is far more responsible than the Mark Carney Liberals’ spending and debt-heavy platform.

“It is a plan that will lower taxes and debt by getting rid of bureaucracy, consulting fees, waste, and excessive foreign aid to dictators, terrorists and global bureaucracy,” he said.

“It’s a plan to build homes by removing taxes and bureaucracy, it’s a plan for safe streets by locking up criminal for a change.”

Canada’s next government will face a $31.4-billion deficit, the platform states.

The platform itself contains few surprises, with notable program changes including ending the Liberal-era firearm confiscation, streamlining the pubic service through attrition, ending Canada’s Low Carbon Economy Fund and Canada Greener Homes Loan programs, and halting funding drug shooting galleries.

Other campaign stalwarts — eliminating the capital gains tax hike and cutting the lowest income tax bracket by 15% — also make an appearance.

Revenues expected from program cuts include repealing C-69 — the “No More Pipelines” law — is $984 million by 2029, while cutting Canada’s EV mandate, which dictates that all new cars sold by 2035 to be 100% electric, would save Canada more than $11 billion over the same time period.

Revenue from Canada’s response to U.S. trade tariffs would generate $20 billion in revenue, which Poilievre said is based on data provided by the government.

“Mr. Carney has said that the tariffs would generate $20 billion,” Poilievre said.

“What I’m committed to is redistributing that money to Canadians through tax cuts and targeted aid to industries that are directly affected.”

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
X: @bryanpassifiume