Pierre Poilievre slams Donald Trump, proposes boost to TSFA contributions during B.C. stop​on March 27, 2025 at 11:42 pm

Pierre Poilievre, the first party leader to appear in B.C. since the federal election was called on Sunday, took the opportunity to tell U.S. President Donald Trump to “knock it off” with his “disastrous tariff threats.”

“I’m once again, like all Canadian leaders, forced to address yet another attack by President Trump against our economy,” Poilievre said during a campaign speech in Coquitlam.

“Here he goes again attacking his closest neighbour and America’s best friend with new tariffs that will drive up the cost of living for American consumers and drive down American wages, while damaging the historic friendship, the best trading relationship, in the world.

“Stop attacking America’s friends, start trading so that we can once again become richer, stronger and more secure on both sides of the border.”

Poilievre, however, also blamed policies he said are supported by Liberal leader Mark Carney for leaving Canadians at Trump’s mercy.

“Unfortunately, we’ve been weakened, as the tax system now rewards corporate insiders that move their money out of Canada,” he said.

“To Carney, taxes are something that the little people have to worry about while globalist elites like him can always escape the bill.”

The Conservative leader was an hour late beginning his speech, irking some in the audience of about 30 who had been invited to attend at Apollo Sheet Metal.

Apollo was founded in 1970 by sheet-metal worker Tony Paris, “with $50 in his pocket,” Poilievre said. Apollo “decided that he would use his skills as a sheet-metal-worker to go out and run his own company, start a business.”

The company began on Charlotte Road in North Vancouver, moved to Burnaby in 1976, then in 1992 moved to Coquitlam at what now is a three-building production centre on the bank of the Fraser River.

There’s a company basketball court and a small park with a covered picnic area riverside, and Tony’s son Angelo now runs the company, with help from his kids.

“What an incredible multi-generational family story of entrepreneurship,” Poilievre said. “This is the Canadian promise right here.”

Conservatives, he said, would increase the amount that Canadians can put into tax-free savings accounts to boost domestic productivity.