Ahead of budget, Poilievre urges Carney to end diesel taxes and cut spending
The leader of the official opposition also called on Carney to "keep your promised debt anchors," urging the prime minister to reduce the deficit until the budget is balanced.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has again urged the federal government to eliminate all taxes on diesel and cut wasteful spending before Prime Minister Mark Carney presents his budget on Thursday. Poilievre argued during a Sunday news conference that Carney must reduce government spending to control deficits, inflation, and taxes, which would benefit Canadian families.
He referenced data from the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO), which projects an additional $733 billion in debt over the next five years, including a $63.3-billion deficit in the 2026-27 fiscal year, compared to the June PBO forecast of $71.8 billion. Poilievre urged Carney to reduce government costs by eliminating bureaucracy, foreign aid, and cancelling the ALTO high-speed rail project between Toronto and Quebec City.
The opposition leader also called on Carney to honor his "debt anchors" and reduce the deficit until the budget is balanced. The PBO has warned that the government will likely fail to meet its fiscal anchor of a declining deficit-to-GDP ratio, with the measure expected to rise in 2027-28 and 2029-30. Poilievre demanded the elimination of federal taxes on diesel until Canada Day, a suspension of the GST on fuel until summer, and the scrapping of the Fuel Standard Tax.
The government has unveiled its budget title and theme, "MASTERS OF OUR DESTINY: BUDGET 2026," inspired by a 1962 Quebec electoral campaign. Meanwhile, Carney released a statement discussing his conversation with President Trump, promising a "mutually beneficial" trade deal in the coming weeks.
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