Poilievre emphasized that Canadians expect their leaders to take decisive steps toward self-reliance, beginning with stronger domestic trade networks.(Photo: The Canadian Press)
Canada’s opposition leader, Pierre Poilievre, announced Monday that, if elected prime minister, he would implement a plan to enhance domestic trade, aiming to add over $200 billion to Canada’s GDP.
The Conservative leader described former U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs as a wake-up call, urging Canadian provinces to collaborate and improve internal trade. Poilievre emphasized that Canadians expect their leaders to take decisive steps toward self-reliance, beginning with stronger domestic trade networks.
While acknowledging that this initiative alone cannot fully offset economic damage, Poilievre stated it would reduce Canada’s dependence on foreign countries.
A 2019 IMF report highlighted four major barriers to interprovincial trade in Canada: geographical challenges, bans on selling goods across provinces, technical issues like vehicle weight standards, and regulatory hurdles.