Murray Wood: When will Canada punch back against China's bully tactics?
Dear China... Um, yeah, can you fill out this TPS report? That'd be great. Murray Wood says Canada should get tough in t...
Federal Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre made a stop near Saskatoon Thursday, to announce his party’s “action” against future Canadian electric vehicle regulations, and to question what the federal government will do to help Canadian canola farmers.
Poilievre stood at a podium at Sixteen Grains Farm in Corman Park, in front of large farm equipment, semi trucks, and empty grain bins — and accused Prime Minister Mark Carney of “forgetting” Canadian farmers.
“So far, Mark Carney has said nothing about the canola producers. It’s like he doesn’t care about western Canadian producers.”
“I had my team check his Twitter account. He hasn’t tweeted anything about canola. Yet, he’s been able to tweet about International Cat Day (on Aug. 8). Now, isn’t that nice,” he smirked.
Poilievre said the latest tariffs show that Beijing can “smell” weakness.
“Countries of the world think that they can walk all over us because of the weak leadership of Mark Carney,” he added.
The prime minister has announced aid packages for both the softwood lumber, steel, and aluminum industries.
He also announced on June 2, that he would work “urgently” to remove Chinese tariffs on Canadian agricultural and seafood products.
Read more:
- Removing Chinese tariffs on Canadian agriculture products a priority, says Carney
- Prime Minister Carney announces new support measures for softwood lumber industry
- How Canada is responding to the U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs
While answering questions from reporters, Poilievre suggested that tariffs that Canada levies on Chinese EVs be used to help farmers as well.
Electric vehicle mandate
Poilievre also announced his party’s intention to launch a national campaign to push back on Canadian electric vehicle regulations that are set to kick in on Jan. 1, 2026.
The regulations state that 20 per cent of all light-duty vehicles sold in Canada next year must be zero-emission vehicles, rising to 100 per cent by 2035.
Manufacturers that do not meet the target can be hit with a $20,000 penalty, which Poilievre is calling a tax.
“The Carney mandate — the Carney ban on your gas vehicle will begin to be phased in…the Liberals’ mandate would continue to worsen as years go by until 2035 when gas vehicles would be banned altogether,” he said.
And that, he cautioned, could adversely affect Canadian farmers as well.
“It will kill jobs, balloon costs, and grind rural communities to a halt.”
“Farmers, ranchers, resource workers would not be able to do their jobs because EVs don’t work over long distances or in cold weather,” Poilievre said.
His party’s campaign will include motions in parliament, “pressure” campaigns in targeted MP’s ridings, and events at car dealerships across the country.
