Canada’s Conservative Leader Pitches Major Natural-Resource Revamp to Counter Trump

(Bloomberg) -- Canadian Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre pledged to build an “east-west economy” with oil and gas pipelines stretching from Alberta to the Maritime provinces as part of a sweeping plan to respond to US tariff threats.

In a major speech Saturday, the opposition leader aimed to persuade Canadians that he’s the best candidate to lead the country in a looming tariff war with its largest trading partner. He promised to hit back hard against any levies imposed by US President Donald Trump, while revamping the natural-resources sector to fortify the country’s economy against threats from its southern neighbor.

“We have to be prepared for the worst,” Poilievre told a crowd of nearly 2,000 supporters in Ottawa, many draped in red and white. “We can no longer depend on the Americans alone for our trade. We can no longer think of them as our back-up defense. These threats, my friends, are a wake-up call.”

The “Canada First” rally reflects a marked shift for the Conservative leader and electoral frontrunner as his party’s fortunes waver. Just weeks ago, Poilievre’s Conservatives were on track for a landslide victory in an election expected in the coming months. But his polling lead has narrowed dramatically as Trump ramped up verbal attacks on Canada’s economy and sovereignty, pushing Canadians to focus more on the US relationship than domestic issues.

Poilievre centered his message Saturday on retaliating against any tariffs, strengthening the border, cutting taxes, boosting energy production and avoiding a possible recession should US-Canada trade disputes escalate.

“We will respond dollar for dollar” on all tariffs applied to Canadian goods, the leader warned. “We will make sure Americans know they will be paying the tariffs they impose on us.”

Poilievre made wide-ranging promises on energy policy, natural-resource extraction, military protection and interprovincial trade.

He pledged to abolish trade barriers between provinces and construct pipelines from Alberta’s oil sands to the the eastern province of New Brunswick. He vowed to repeal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s environmental assessment law within the first 60 days of entering office in order to greenlight pipeline projects, permit mines and port expansions to overseas markets. 

He also promised to bolster military spending, deploying thousands of rangers to the borders, buying new icebreaker ships for the navy and establishing Canada’s first Arctic military base since the Cold War.

At one point, he spoke directly to the American administration, spelling out two options: one, it could carry out an unprovoked attack on Canada’s economy, forcing US consumers to pay more and weakening both countries; or two, the nations could trade even more, with the resulting economic boost allowing Canada to further strengthen its military and border. 

“You have your grievances with us, we have ours with you, but I would ask you this question: which other country would you rather have as your neighbor?And if Canada is not your friend, who is?” he said. 

The party leader also reiterated domestic policies on Saturday, pledging again to repeal Canada’s consumer carbon tax and promising new efforts to eliminate the flow of fentanyl in the country — something Trump has fixated on in his calls for Canada to secure its border. 

“I’m not doing this for him,” Poilievre said. “I’m doing this so that there’s not one more Canadian parent that has to collapse on the ground on learning their child has died in a back alley somewhere.”

Team Canada  

Trump’s insistence that Canada should become the 51st state has unleashed a wave of fierce patriotism in the northern nation. Saturday marked the 60th anniversary of the country adopting its maple-leaf flag, and many supporters at Poilievre’s event clutched the emblem.

In a southern Ottawa suburb later that evening, hundreds of people braved a snowstorm to join Liberal leadership candidate Mark Carney at a sports bar to watch Canada play the US in the 4 Nations Face-Off hockey tournament. Trudeau attended the game in person in Montreal.

Carney told supporters that Poilievre shouldn’t be trusted to negotiate on behalf of Canada. He said over the past month he has traveled across the country and met many Canadians and that he “would put any one of them on the ice before Pierre Poilievre.”

“The initial confusion and anger from the attacks of President Trump have quickly turned to resolve,” added Carney, who is a front-runner along with former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland to replace Trudeau in the leadership race that concludes March 9. 

The dueling campaign events on Saturday followed an attack ad from the Conservatives a day earlier that doubled down on accusations against Trudeau and Carney, who the Conservatives have blamed for opposing pipeline projects and supporting tax hikes. 

“Carbon Tax Carney — if he wins, Canada loses,” it said. 

The Liberals have hit back, accusing Poilievre of adopting Trump-like rhetoric and pointing to his life-long career as a politician. 

“I honestly believes he disdains much about the country,” said Carney on a podcast appearance with Anthony Scaramucci on Saturday. “He’s literally, right now, trying to find a flag to wrap himself in and play patriot. That’s the last refuge of a scoundrel.”

(Adds comments from Carney event to bottom paragraphs.)

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