Poilievre calls on federal Liberal to recall Parliament over tariff threats

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on the federal Liberal government to recall Parliament in the face of sweeping tariffs from the United States.

Speaking from Vancouver, Poilievre says his party condemns Trump’s tariffs and reiterates Canada will never be the 51st state.

He says the country needs a “Canada-first” plan, which includes dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs aimed at maximizing the impact on American companies while minimizing the impact on Canadian consumers and businesses.

“These tariffs are a wakeup call that it is time for us to meet our potential, it is time for us to be a country that can trade with itself,” he said.

“A country that builds homes quickly for its youth, a country that allows entrepreneurs to succeed quickly and profitably so that success is once again rewarded.”

Poilievre says the plan should include removing inter-provincial trade barriers, claiming Canada sells twice as much to the U.S. as we sell to ourselves.

“[Inter-provincial trade barriers] drive up consumer prices and they cost the average family $6,000 a year,” he said.

“Let’s knock them down and let’s be a truly free-trading economy ourselves.

The plan also focused on rebuilding Canada’s military and taking back control of the borders to regain the confidence of our trade partners.

“Our border needs to be taken back into our control,” he said.

“Not to please the president but to protect our own people.”

Poilievre’s proposed plan also includes locking arms with American economic interests that favour Canada.