Scheer takes aim at Trudeau, outlines ‘positive vision’ in Economic Club speech

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer spoke before the Economic Club in Toronto on Thursday and outlined his economic plan — what he called his “positive vision” for Canada.

The speech hinted at how he will fight Justin Trudeau in the upcoming election and was reminiscent of Doug Ford’s successful election campaign that saw him rise to power and decimate the Provincial Liberals.

Scheer took aim at Trudeau’s “idealogical mentors” Kathleen Wynne and Dalton McGuinty.

The federal PC Leader set the stage by telling the audience how Canadians are barely getting by, noting almost half of all Canadian households report being less than $200 a month away from insolvency.

Scheer added: “More than 80 per cent of middle-income families are paying $800 more in taxes every year since [Trudeau] came to power,” citing numbers come from a 2017 Fraser Institute paper.

He also slammed the Prime Minister for a broken election promise.

“Remember the 2015 election when Trudeau looked the country straight in the eye and said he would balance the budget by 2019? Well, it’s 2019,” Scheer said.

The promises Scheer made to the audience provide strong indications of how he will battle the Federal Liberals on the economic front:

    • Cancel the carbon tax
    • Repeal Bill C-69, the “no more pipelines” bill
    • End the ban on tanker traffic in B.C.
    • Establish clear timelines for regulatory approvals
    • Eliminate foreign interference in the approvals process
    • Assert federal jurisdiction when necessary

Scheer also vowed to work towards a seventh promise: a dedicated coast-to-coast right of way for energy infrastructure projects — a “single corridor” which he says will minimize environmental impacts.

In addition, Scheer pledges to make Canada energy efficient by 2030 and maintains he will not touch the Canada Child Benefit, seniors benefits or transfers to provinces. He also promises to bring the $256 million of Canadian taxpayers money in China’s Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank back to this country and to eliminate the Liberals Canada Infrastructure.

This line will probably be repeated many times in the next months:

“If we are heading into an economic storm, do we really want Justin Trudeau to be the captain of our ship? I would argue not on your life.”

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