Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre delivered a speech at the annual Conservative Party Barbecue in Calgary on Saturday evening, calling for national unity, affordability, and the repeal of the north coast tanker ban. The event, held at Heritage Park, drew hundreds of attendees dressed in western wear, coinciding with the Calgary Stampede.
Notable Attendees and Entertainment
Among the prominent figures present were Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas, and numerous other politicians from past and present representing all levels of government. Alberta-born country artist Brett Kissel made a surprise appearance, warming up the crowd with a short musical set before Poilievre's speech.
Kissel announced himself as both a proud Albertan and a proud Canadian, stating, "Apparently you're not allowed to be both, but I am." He added, "I'm very, very proud of my province, and I'm very, very proud to represent Canada everywhere I go internationally."
Poilievre's Message on Unity and Affordability
In his speech, Poilievre emphasized his anti-separatism stance, saying, "While I have been very clear that I will always stand for a united Canada, we will always be willing to listen to the views and address the legitimate concerns of people who are involved in this debate." He expressed a desire to ensure that, after current challenges, Canadians would be "fully united as citizens of a common land dedicated to a common purpose of restoring the promise of this country."
That promise, according to Poilievre, is that hard work and sacrifice lead to a great life. "The deal was simple: plant, grow, harvest," he said. "But right now, only half of that deal remains in place. You see, the people are doing their part, they're doing the back-breaking, gruelling work that they were supposed to do, but when the harvest comes, there's a group of aristocrats who come along and scoop it up."
Criticism of Liberal Government and Policy Promises
Much of Poilievre's speech focused on what he described as failures of Prime Minister Mark Carney and the Liberal government. His remarks were met with laughter, applause, and, where appropriate, booing from the crowd. He listed several promises centered on affordability, which were well-received, including scrapping various taxes, "unlocking" resources, and "getting out of the way" of major projects by repealing bill C-69. The promise that garnered perhaps the most rapturous applause was reversing the "liberal gun grab."
Repeal of North Coast Tanker Ban
Poilievre also reiterated his call for Carney to repeal the north coast tanker ban to allow for a pipeline through northern British Columbia, which he called "ridiculous" in a Friday statement. He argued that the proposed route would be more efficient for shipping to Asian markets. "It takes about three days less time to travel round-trip to Asia from Northern B.C. than it does from Southern B.C.," Poilievre said. He added that the route would be more conducive to shipping to the U.S. than to Asian markets, stating, "We don't want a pipeline that will simply lead tankers to take the oil south down to the California West Coast. We're trying to diversify here."
