Advance voting continues as Poilievre accuses Carney of ‘printing money’
As Canadians continued to flock to advance polls on Sunday, the main federal party leaders were busy campaigning in British Columbia and Ottawa. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre started his day at a grocery store in Surrey, B.C., where he made another announcement regarding inflation. Meanwhile, Liberal Leader Mark Carney was campaigning in the Ottawa riding of Nepean, where he is running for election for the first time.
Poilievre argued that reducing government spending would help alleviate inflation, stating that a Conservative government would slash Ottawa’s annual budget for consultants by $10 billion. He emphasized that inflation occurs when governments print money they do not have, leading to higher prices for goods due to increased cash circulation. Statistics Canada reported a slight decrease in the national inflation rate to 2.3% in March, with food prices rising by 3.2% year over year.
On the other hand, Carney presented his platform as an investment in making Canada more self-reliant amidst the trade war with the United States. Poilievre criticized Carney for allegedly “printing money” during his tenure as governor of the Bank of England, attributing the recent high inflation in the UK to his policies. Carney led the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020 and oversaw the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in inflation spikes in both Canada and the UK during the recovery period.
The Liberal leader positioned himself as the best candidate to tackle the challenges posed by President Donald Trump, stressing the need for a strong mandate to resist American influence. Poilievre refrained from directly addressing whether he would maintain the national freeze on handgun purchases and transfers implemented by the Liberal government in 2022. He highlighted the role of illegal handguns from the US in Canadian gun violence and pledged to crack down on firearm traffickers to address the issue.
With the NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh campaigning in Victoria, B.C., on Sunday, he urged voters not to rely solely on one party when casting their votes in the upcoming election. The NDP unveiled their costed campaign pledges on Saturday, while the Conservatives announced that their platform would be released soon.
As the second-to-last day of advance polls unfolded, nearly two million Canadians participated in early voting, setting a record on the first day. Elections Canada reported long lineups at polling stations and assured that adjustments were being made to manage the high turnout. The intense campaign trail and voter engagement showcased the significance of the upcoming election and the diverse perspectives offered by the federal party leaders.
