(Ottawa) The Conservative leader on Sunday mocked the Liberal government's national summit announced a week ago on car thefts, which plague most major Canadian cities.
Posted at 4:42 p.m.
Michel Saba The Canadian Press
“The good news is that Justin Trudeau is organizing a summit, a big summit. There will be another meeting. Thank God: politicians, bureaucrats and lobbyists get together and send you the bill for their hotel rooms. Don’t worry: a summit is underway,” he said during a speech to his group.
In fact, Mr. Poilievre said, Canadians don't need another summit. “We need a sensible plan to put an end to theft and crime,” he said. And that’s exactly what the Conservatives will do.”
He had just told stories that showed how “crazy” the car theft and the authorities’ response had become. In one case, a businessman was fined for approaching the container containing his stolen car, according to a tracking system. “So he lost his car and paid a fine trying to get it back,” he summarized.
And in the other case, a man who was on the phone with 911 after his car parked outside his home was stolen and he noticed thieves trying to steal his second car was told, “Just let them take the car.” “
Car theft has become a growing problem across the country. The rate of car thefts increased by 50% in Quebec and 48.3% in Ontario in 2022, according to industry data. The Greater Toronto Police Service says it has seen a 104% increase in car thefts from 2021 to 2022.
priorities
In his speech, Mr. Poilievre also announced that he had four priorities for the next parliamentary session: “Cut taxes, build housing, balance the budget and stop crime.”
In English, however, the first priority is to “cut the ax on the carbon tax”. According to his team, this is synonymous with tax cuts.
Mr. Poilievre has, as he regularly does, compiled a lot of statistics to support his claims about Canadians' lives “after eight years” of Justin Trudeau, a life in which “everything costs more” and in which “crime and “Chaos” reigns on the streets.
Canadians “don’t have to live like this” and go without “affordable food and housing in safe neighborhoods.” […] because of one man’s incompetence and ego.”
“We can do better,” he insisted to his troops.
Mr. Poilievre also attacked the Bloc Québécois, concluding that it felt the need to keep the Liberals in power through a so-called “expensive coalition.”
In the English version of his speech, he instead attacked the “coalition” with the New Democratic Party, referring to the agreement reached nearly two years ago that allows the Liberals to take part in the New Democratic Party in exchange for key elements, including a national dental care program Power to stay.
In recent days, Justin Trudeau has been the one to focus his attacks on the Conservative leader. In a speech to his own group, he accused him of spreading conspiracy theories about climate change and voting against free trade with Ukraine to “appease” supporters of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Pierre Poilievre and his team voted against the Canada Child Benefit and the Canada Dental Benefit,” Mr. Trudeau said. They voted against $10 day care and programs for seniors. »
While parliamentary work resumes in the House of Commons on Monday, the Liberals are still far behind in voting intentions at the national level. The Conservatives are ahead by 13 points and have a good chance of forming a majority government, according to the latest forecasts from polling portal Canada338.