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Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, shown on Feb. 17, said in prepared remarks Thursday that Canada should not abandon its relationship with the U.S.Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press
Canada should not declare a “permanent rupture” with the United States in favour of a strategic partnership with China, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says, adding that this country’s prosperity and security is inseparable from a stable relationship with the U.S.
In a speech to a Toronto business crowd on Thursday, Mr. Poilievre laid out his vision for handling the continuing trade dispute with the Americans and how Canada can shore up its own economic strength and self-reliance.
Mr. Poilievre stressed that Canada should not abandon its long-standing relationship with the U.S., arguing that the American people “are not our adversaries” and that survey data shows strong American goodwill toward Canada.
“That insight captures a reality deeper than any temporary dispute. Canada’s prosperity and security are inseparable from a stable relationship with the United States,” he said in prepared remarks.
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While his party supports trade diversification – including a full free-trade agreement with India – closer ties with China are not a replacement for the U.S., Mr. Poilievre said.
“That is why we should not declare a permanent rupture from our biggest customer and closest neighbour in favour of a strategic partnership for a new world order with Beijing – a regime the Prime Minister said a year ago was the biggest threat to Canada,” he said.
“China is not a substitute for the United States.”
The Conservative Leader also addressed U.S. President Donald Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st state, calling it wrong.
“There is zero chance of Canada ever becoming part of the United States. Canada is our country. The country we love – just as Americans love theirs.”
The Conservative Leader called on Canada to do more to promote low-cost energy, including permitting rapid oil and gas and electricity projects, cut red tape on housing construction and rapidly building a new pipeline to the Pacific. He also called for a new strategic energy and mineral reserve to give the country more leverage in talks.
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Mr. Poilievre said his party is seeking an end to steel, aluminum, auto and lumber tariffs – though he didn’t specify how that could be achieved – as well as a new tariff-free auto pact to protect North American production, with shared protections against vehicles from China.
“In short, we should agree to keep Chinese vehicles out if America lets Canadian vehicles in,” he said
He also advocated for a relaunch of the Keystone XL pipeline.
Mr. Poilievre said there should also be an all-party working group focused on the Canada-US- Mexico agreement to help the government get “the best deal for Canada.”
Still, he cautioned this does not mean the end of opposition.
“Co-operation cannot mean in silence. In our system of government, the Official Opposition has a constitutional and patriotic duty to scrutinize government decisions. Abandoning that responsibility would not strengthen Canada; it would weaken it.”
