11 April: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is pushing back against criticism of his election campaign strategy while unveiling a major economic proposal and reaffirming his party’s stance on abortion rights during a campaign stop in St. Catharines, Ontario.
Speaking at the Port Weller Dry Docks Shipyard, Poilievre introduced the “Canada First Economic Action Plan,” a comprehensive proposal aimed at revitalizing Canada’s economy. The plan, which echoes the branding and tone of former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Economic Action Plan from 2008, promises to inject $500 billion into the economy over the next five years through tax cuts, resource development, and fast-tracked infrastructure projects. It includes previously announced commitments such as reducing income taxes, scrapping taxes on new homes and cars, and eliminating the federal carbon tax on industrial emissions.
The Conservative leader said the plan would make life more affordable for Canadians, restore economic sovereignty, and strengthen domestic development. “We need a change, with a new Conservative government that will axe taxes, build homes, unleash our resources, lock up criminals, and bring home a safe, affordable country for our people,” Poilievre said.
The announcement comes amid criticism from within conservative circles. Kory Teneycke, a former communications director under Harper and current campaign director for Ontario Premier Doug Ford, described the party’s declining poll numbers as “campaign malpractice.” During a recent podcast appearance and subsequent media interview, Teneycke said losing a significant lead over the Liberals amounted to a strategic failure, especially with just two weeks remaining in the campaign. He criticized the campaign’s response to voter concerns about U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election, which has emerged as a major election issue in Canada.
Poilievre, when asked directly about the “malpractice” remark, firmly rejected the criticism. “No,” he said, defending his focus on issues like affordability, rising food and housing costs, and public safety. He accused Liberals and lobbyists of trying to shift the conversation away from those core issues.
On another key topic, Poilievre made it clear that a Conservative government under his leadership would not introduce or support any laws restricting abortion rights. Responding to a reporter’s question about a candidate’s alleged association with a U.S.-based anti-abortion group, Poilievre reaffirmed the party’s long-standing position in support of a woman’s right to choose.
“It’s been in our policy since it was adopted by our party members in the year 2004, so this is a 21-year policy adopted by our members and upheld at all of our subsequent conventions,” he stated. “There will be no laws or other restrictions imposed on a woman’s right to decide to do with her body as she wishes. And that is something that I’m guaranteeing to you and to all Canadians.”
Poilievre added that this commitment will be explicitly included in the Conservative Party’s official election platform. The abortion debate has been reignited in North America since the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court, though abortion remains legal in Canada following the 1988 decision by the Supreme Court of Canada to strike down existing restrictions.
Despite recent setbacks in polling, Poilievre appears determined to stay the course, focusing his campaign on affordability, economic renewal, and personal freedoms.
