THUNDER BAY – POLITICS – Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre was in Thunder Bay for two days this week, first hosting a townhall at the Da Vinci Centre on Monday night.
On Tuesday, Poilievre toured one of the grain terminals and finished off at Thunder Bay Hydraulics on Montreal Street where he spoke with workers and with NetNewsLedger.
The Conservative leader says the goal of a Poilievre led federal government will be to reduce red tape, deal with the opioid crisis, and assist Indigenous people to reach their potential.
At his rally on Monday night Poilievre stated there are over 6000 federal building that are surplus and could be converted to housing. He commented that he would make the CBC headquarters a new housing site.
Speaking to workers at Thunder Bay Hydraulics the message was one of freeing up worker’s rights. He pointed to the contrast in Canada’s current tax laws that allow a business executive flying to a meeting who can write off the cost of their travel, while a working tradesperson travelling to their job can not. Poilievre states he will change that.
New Democrats Accuse Poilievre of Ignoring Facts
The federal New Democrats responding to the Conservative leader didn’t agree with his platform.
“Hardworking people in Northern Ontario want elected leaders to tackle the issues that hurt them and their families,” said NDP MP Charlie Angus. “Sticking your head in the sand while wildfire smoke forces people to keep their kids inside isn’t leadership. Pierre Poilievre can’t cheer on big oil maximizing their profits while we don’t have clean air to breath. And him pretending the climate crisis isn’t happening isn’t going to protect jobs, our families’ health or the future of our communities. Poilievre has to come out of the 20th century and get with the program.
Workers need a government who has their backs and supports them with good-paying jobs as we move toward a net-zero economy.”
“Look, life is hard right now, but the hard-working people of Northern Ontario need someone who will actually fight for them in Ottawa, not just stop by with empty words,” said NDP MP Charlie Angus (Timmins James Bay). “Poilievre isn’t who he says he is. When push comes to shove, he will deliver for his Bay Street buddies over the people of Northern Ontario.
He’s been a career politician his whole life, connected to Canada’s elite. He doesn’t get what ordinary Canadians go through and never will. Just last week, he called a young, hardworking woman’s home a ‘shack.’ She worked hard to buy her home and here’s Pierre Poilievre with his 19 room, tax-payer funded mansion belittling the home she worked so hard to afford. People deserve so much better. While Poilievre and the Conservatives fight for the billionaire class, the NDP fights for the working class.”
The Conservative Party is leading the governing Liberals by as much as ten points in the latest public opinion polls.
The Conservative leader continued his northern swing through the week.
