MP for Carleton, Pierre Poilievre, left, and MLA for Moncton South, Greg Turner at a Moncton coffee shop on Dec. 5. (Photo by Robert Lothian)
During a trip through New Brunswick over the weekend, federal Conservative finance critic Pierre Poilievre continued what he calls the “fight against inflation.”
Making stops in Saint John. Moncton, Fredericton and Miramichi, Poilievre used his time away from the House of Commons to discuss inflation, the economy and the ongoing supply chain problems with the people of New Brunswick.
The visit included brief chats with several Conservative MLAs and a meeting with New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs.
“The reality is energy, food, housing, and all the essentials of life are getting more expensive,” said Poilievre, speaking outside a Moncton coffee shop on Sunday morning.
“If you’re a working-class renter living in Moncton, you’re seeing a rent hike, a gas price increase, your food is more expensive, and your dream of ever owning a home is becoming more remote.”
Poilievre has coined the term “Justinflation” as a shot at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the record level of inflation currently impacting Canada.
Data released by Statistics Canada for October revealed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.7 per cent on a year-over-year basis — the largest gain since February 2003. Major increases in the cost of gasoline and energy played a significant role in the historic increase.
“We see the consequences. There we are with gas at $1.41 a litre, “said Poilievre, pointing to a gas station across the street.
Poilievre continued to scrutinize pandemic spending, acknowledging it was necessary “during the pandemic,” but allowing it to continue hurts the economy.
“We have a million vacant jobs in Canada, yet the government continues paying people not to work,” he said.
“When you do work, you get hammered with taxes and clawbacks and when you don’t work, you get free money from the government.”
Employment in Canada regained pre-pandemic levels in September and recorded a massive gain of about 154,000 jobs in November, according to Statistics Canada data released on Dec. 3.
Asked about the global supply chain issues that have placed many industries in a predicament, Poilievre said some factors are not necessarily external.
“Let’s give an example: If we had the Energy East pipeline, we would have a stable and more affordable supply of oil in eastern Canada to create jobs for Saint John refinery workers and to provide more affordable fuel for consumers.”
He resumed his critique of pandemic spending, stating that the Canadian Dollar cannot compete for scarce global goods because COVID-19 response programs have weakened its value.
The Tory finance critic will have the opportunity to resume his condemnation of “Justinflation” when the house sits Monday.
