Strengthening Canada’s Sovereignty

21 September 2026

Canada needs an economic strategy that strengthens our economy, protects our sovereignty and puts Canadians first.

For families across our community, the state of the economy is not an abstract debate. It is the price of groceries at the checkout, the cost of rent, the size of a mortgage payment and whether a family can afford to keep up with the rising cost of everyday life. After years of rising costs, Canadians need more than assurances that relief is around the corner. They need a government focused on making life more affordable and making Canada more competitive.

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre is right to make the case directly to Americans for the importance of free trade with Canada. Our two countries have built an economic relationship that supports businesses, workers and families on both sides of the border. That relationship matters. But Canada’s economic future cannot depend on looking outward while failing to address the barriers holding Canadians back at home. The answer starts with making Canada more affordable and more competitive.

That means taking practical steps to lower costs for families and businesses. Conservatives have proposed scrapping gas taxes, removing the GST from Canadian-made automobiles and ending the industrial carbon tax. It also means making it easier to invest and build in Canada. That includes allowing Canadians to reinvest capital gains back into our economy without being taxed on that reinvestment, removing federal barriers to responsible development and getting projects that have been waiting for federal approval moving forward.

Canada should be a place where businesses want to invest, workers can find good jobs and families can afford to build a future. We also need to remove the barriers that prevent Canadians from doing business with one another. A Canadian company should not face unnecessary obstacles simply because it wants to sell its products in another province. If we cannot freely trade with each other from coast to coast, we are leaving economic growth on the table.

Canada has enormous economic advantages. We have energy, critical minerals, agriculture, manufacturing, technology, skilled workers and entrepreneurs. Yet we continue to face high costs, weak productivity and barriers that make it harder to build and invest. The government should be making it easier to build homes, develop our resources, attract investment and grow Canadian businesses. Instead of adding more costs and red tape, we should be removing them.

Strengthening Canada’s sovereignty starts with strengthening our ability to succeed on our own terms. That means using our resources, connecting our markets, supporting Canadian businesses and creating an environment where people can afford to live, work and build a future. International trade will always be important. Canada should continue to diversify its markets and build strong relationships with partners around the world. But trade policy must ultimately serve Canadians. It cannot be a substitute for fixing the problems we face at home.

For families in Aurora-Oak Ridges-Richmond Hill, the priority is straightforward: affordable homes, affordable groceries, good jobs and an economy where hard work gets people ahead. Canada has the resources, talent and determination to succeed. What Canadians need now is a government prepared to act: to lower costs, remove barriers, unlock investment and get Canada building again. That is how we strengthen our economy. That is how we protect our sovereignty. And that is how we put Canadians first.