Canada’s Conservative leader did his own pre-election tour through Atlantic Canada, making a stop in Saint John this week.
Erin O’Toole spent time with candidates including former mayor Mel Norton, who will run in the riding of Saint John-Rothesay.
O’Toole said his party is drawing quality candidates because everyone knows “we can’t keep spending money we don’t have.”
“We’ve spent half a trillion dollars over the last year. There has to be a plan to start getting things back on track and getting spending down. Extending the CERB for ever and ever and ever is actually hurting small businesses who can’t even find people to work,” O’Toole said.
O’Toole said he’s ex-military and worked in the private sector so he’s not as well-known calling himself “a regular Canadian.”
He said he hasn’t been able to tour New Brunswick since he became Opposition leader because of the pandemic.
O’Toole said the people he spoke to want to see life get back to normal.
He doesn’t think the Canadian border is opening too soon with high vaccination rates, keeping some COVID-19 measures and using what we’ve learned in 16 months to get the economy back on track.
“There’s been an ‘Ottawa knows best’ approach and that is really holding back some parts of the country and we need everyone pulling together to make sure there is a recovery. So we’re going to push for a million jobs in a year. Really make Canada a destination for investment and talent,” O’Toole said.
O’Toole doesn’t think this is a good time for an election, saying it would be better to focus on the economy right now.
He said Trudeau is “posturing for it” and he’s used to him putting the Liberal Party ahead of everyone else.
Mel Norton joined me for a morning jog through Saint John today. As the former Mayor, @MelnortonNB has the experience and passion to fight for the residents of Saint John-Rothesay in Ottawa. Looking forward to Mel joining our team in Ottawa! pic.twitter.com/3hGyFWUtwT
— Erin O'Toole (@erinotoole) July 29, 2021
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