Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said Thursday that his party will focus on pushing the liberals to repeal the sales mandate of electric vehicles during the next parliamentary session.
Pailievre said that conservatives plan to introduce motions, requests and other “pressure campaigns” to repeal the policy that will enter into force next year.
“The mandate of the electric vehicle that the liberals impose on Canadians is a complete and absolute disaster,” Pailievre said during a press conference at Corman Park, Sask.
“The conservatives are launching a campaign nationwide, even in the House of Commons, to force the liberals to go back … about the prohibition of gas vehicles.”
The mandate requires that the number of new zero emission vehicles sold in Canada reaches 20 percent for next year, 60 percent by 2030 and 100 percent in 2035 to help the country reach its emission reduction objectives.
Pailievre has been asking the liberals to return the mandate for months.
“It’s time to replace Canadians in the driver’s seat so they can decide what life they want to live,” he said Thursday.
The automotive industry has also been asking for the end of the mandate. The CEO of the three great cars manufacturers of Canada met with Prime Minister Mark Carney last month to press for their removal, arguing that the sales mandate would paralyze their companies and put thousands of jobs at risk as the industry faces US tariffs and the demand for EV is sunk.
Liberals have not indicated whether they intend to maintain or discard the mandate after the July meeting.
Carney has repealed other policies introduced under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, especially consumer carbon tax.
The manufacturers have said that there is not enough demand to achieve the 20 percent objective next year, partly due to the end of the Federal Reimburse EV Program.
The refund offered up to $ 5,000 for the purchase of a new electric car and up to $ 2,500 in the purchase of a new plug -in hybrid.
Although he was supposed to remain in place until March, he stopped in January when he ran out of funds. Julie Dabrusin Environment Minister He told the Canadian press in June that another reimbursement program could be in process.
Although he lost his seat in the spring elections, it is unlikely that Pailievre wasting a long time in the house this fall. What is considered one of the safer conservative seats in the country is expected to win in a partial election on Monday and the Commons Chamber will not return until mid -September.
