Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre plans to address U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s economic protectionism with policies aimed at attracting investment and higher wages in Canada. He supports increased security at the U.S.-Canada border and hopes to exempt Canada from any tariffs imposed by Trump. Poilievre also plans to end tariffs on softwood lumber and secure an exemption to “Buy American” policies, aiming to bring back investments that have been moving to the U.S.
Poilievre’s long-stated plan includes eliminating the consumer carbon price, cutting income tax, and reducing taxes on foreign investments to prevent the outflow of investment and industry from Canada to the U.S. He believes that under his leadership, jobs will remain in Canada rather than being taken by the U.S. He noted that Trump has promised tax reductions and reduced regulations to attract investment into the U.S. in order to counter China.
The Liberal government has expressed confidence that Canada should be exempt from Trump’s tariffs, citing previous experiences with tit-for-tat tariffs and alignment with the U.S. on certain trade issues. However, Poilievre criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government for not securing exemptions in trade agreements, such as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that replaced NAFTA. He specifically mentioned the increase in duties on softwood lumber by the Biden administration this year.
There have been concerns about border security and enforcement with regards to people entering Canada irregularly from the U.S., particularly amid a Trump-led immigration crackdown. The government has been preparing for such scenarios and is willing to provide additional resources if necessary. Poilievre called for more front-line officers at the Canadian border and legislative changes to prevent abuse of the system, placing blame on Trudeau for border issues rather than Trump.
Trudeau recently announced a reduction in the number of permanent residents accepted per year to address housing and social service shortages attributed to immigration. The Canada Border Services Agency has faced staffing shortages for a long time, with estimates suggesting a need for an additional 2,000 to 3,000 officers. Poilievre dismissed concerns about a surge of migrants fleeing Trump’s deportation plan, stating that it’s not possible to be a refugee from the United States.
Trump’s newly-named “border czar” has identified the Canada-U.S. border as a national security vulnerability and has vowed to address it. Republican Rep. Mike Walz has endorsed Poilievre as a candidate to win the next election against Trudeau. Poilievre believes that Trudeau is not standing up to Trump effectively and that he is more focused on protecting Canadian workers and investments. Ultimately, Poilievre aims to enact policies that will bring back investments, prevent job losses to the U.S., and ensure economic prosperity for Canada.
