`Ground the jet, axe the tax hikes'
POILIEVRE, PM SQUARE OFF AS NEW CPC LEADER TAKES A KICK AT CANADA'S COST OF LIVING
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced Pierre Poilievre in his new role as Conservative leader for the first time on Thursday as the two argued over Poilievre's favourite issue, the rising cost of living.
“It's good to see the prime minister visiting Canada to fill up his private jet,” opened Poilievre, in French. Trudeau was in London earlier this week for Queen Elizabeth II'S funeral and then in New York for the United Nations General Assembly.
His plane flew back to Ottawa on Thursday morning in time to attend the daily question period in the House of Commons, his first since the start of the fall session, but he will leave again this weekend for Japan.
Poilievre followed up with reports that rent is so high in Toronto that students are living in homeless shelters and that groceries have become unaffordable to the point that food banks are facing their highest demand in history.
He attacked the Liberals for the government's plan to raise the rate of worker contributions to the Employment Insurance (EI) and Canada Pension Plan (CPP), which he described as tax hikes.
“It's the worst time to raise costs for Canadians,” he said.
Trudeau publicly congratulated Poilievre on his recent leadership win and said all parties would have a lot of work ahead to make life better for Canadians.
But partisanship quickly returned after Poilievre accused the prime minister of burning more jet fuel in one month than “20 average Canadians burn in an entire year.”
“So will the prime minister ground the jet, park the hypocrisy and axe the tax hikes?”
Trudeau said the Liberals are staying focused on helping “the middle class and those working hard to join it.”
But the prime minister then pivoted to attack Poilievre. “If Canadians had followed the advice of the leader of the Opposition and invested in volatile cryptocurrencies and attempted to `opt out of inflation', they would have lost half of their savings,” he said.
“Responsible leadership means stepping up for Canadians and being there to support them.”
The rising cost of living is shaping up to be a central topic during the fall session.
The Opposition is repeating their accusation that the government is imposing “tax hikes,” while the Liberal government is focused on promoting its benefit programs.
Prior to question period, Trudeau told reporters he was “very hopeful” Conservatives would support his government's latest announcements providing money to low-income families for dental care, a payment to low-income renters, and an increase in the GST tax credit.
“That's going to help millions of Canadian families. There's work to do and that's what I'm focused on,” Trudeau said.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland slammed Poilievre in question period for suggesting the government freeze the planned increase in pension contributions.
“At a time of global economic uncertainty, it is the height of irresponsibility for the Conservatives to suggest that we, as a country, stop putting money away for our retirement.”
Freeland added that “things are hard right now,” but stressed that Canada is much better off than its peers in terms of employment numbers and economic growth. Poilievre shot back, saying that was little reassurance to the ordinary Canadians who are struggling.
“The Liberals would have Canadians believe they have never had it so good. I guess if one is jetting around the world singing songs in a beautiful lobby, then that might be true,” he said, referring to a viral video of Trudeau singing Bohemian Rhapsody in a London lounge before the queen's funeral.
The next faceoff between Trudeau and Poilievre will potentially have to wait until next Thursday, as the prime minister will be travelling to Japan from Sept. 24 to 28 to attend the funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in July.