OTTAWA — The kids aren’t alright.
That was the message Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre expressed during a late-morning press conference Thursday, responding to remarks made the previous evening by Prime Minister Mark Carney that transforming Canada’s economy will take both time and sacrifice.
“When we heard about this speech we watched it with great interest because of how much misery and suffering our young people have endured over the last decade of Liberal inflation, crime and chaos,” Poilievre told reporters in the House of Commons foyer, adding it was more or less much of the same talking points.
“I give Mr. Carney credit for being honest with young people — he went on at length about how much worse life is for today’s youth than it was when he was young, and he’s right about that.”
While the first 10 years of Liberal governance robbed young Canadians of being able to own a home, Poilievre said this new government is now depriving them of jobs.
“Youth employment numbers are now the worst in a generation as the government blocks jobs with high taxes and anti-development laws and allows multinational corporations to give those jobs away to the temporary foreign worker program, meaning countless young people are not able to even find a paycheck, let alone a place to live,” he said.
Carney’s plan will involve “sacrifice” and “time”
During his address to university students in Ottawa Wednesday evening, Carney said his plan to “transform” Canada’s economy — the details of which are expected to be outlined in next month’s federal budget — won’t be easy.
“Our goal is not just to do reasonably well, but to grow stronger than the rest of the G7,” Carney said in his address.
“To be clear, we won’t transform our economy easily or in a few months — it will take some sacrifices and it will take some time,” he said.
Carney said his government would cut waste and drive efficiency, and he promised to be “thoughtful, transparent and fair” when difficult decisions need to be made.
He also urged Canadians to “look out for each other” during the difficult times.
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The kids aren’t alright, Poilievre urges Carney
This generation, Poilievre said, is the first in Canadian history priced out of owning a home — thanks to Liberal mismanagement.
But instead of reversing course on bad policy, Poilievre said, Carney chose to barrel ahead with bad policy.
“Mr. Carney, our youth have sacrificed enough,” he said. “All they have done for the past 10 years is sacrifice.”
