On Friday August 28, Conservative Shadow Minister for Finance, Pierre Poilievre spoke with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland about the substantive issues Conservatives will advance to re-start the Canadian economy.

MP Poilievre and the Deputy Prime Minister began by discussing shared roots in their beloved home province of Alberta.

MP Poilievre highlighted the following:

1. Private Sector Stimulus: MP Poilievre pointed to almost $20 billion worth of private sector and privately funded projects in various stages of federal approval that can help to re-ignite the Canadian economy. Proceeding with these projects will stimulate the economy, reduce the deficit and not contribute to it.

2. Not the Time for Ideological Fantasies: MP Poilievre stressed the importance of creating real jobs in real industries, in markets that actually exist. Now is not the time to test drive ideological fantasies. People’s lives and livelihoods depend on practical solutions, not trendy theories.

3. The Bank of Canada Cannot Fund the Economy: MP Poilievre underscored that the Bank of Canada cannot continue to fund our economy by printing money forever. The economy relies on the production of real wealth, by real people, in real industries in the real world.

4. Real People’s Lives: MP Poilievre relayed the message that people want their lives and their jobs back. They have suffered enough through COVID-19, and now is not the time to re-make an entire country in the image of a few politicians, academics or billionaires. Instead, we should empower people to build their lives based on their own dreams and hard work.

The Deputy Prime Minister acknowledged the feedback and recognized there are issues the two will agree on and disagree on. The Deputy Prime Minister made herself available for future calls should they be necessary. She also recommended Mr. Poilievre read her book on Russia’s transformation from communism to capitalism. Mr. Poilievre agreed that such a book will be relevant.

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