Poilievre stops in Sudbury as he tours northern Ontario, promises to cut the carbon tax

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre continued his tour of northern Ontario this week and during a stop in Sudbury he shared his plans to cut the Liberal government's carbon tax, build more affordable housing and have stricter laws for violent offenders.

Poilievre has been in northern Ontario all week meeting with supporters and talking about his "common sense" approach to politics.

"The carbon tax does nothing to fight climate change. It has failed," Poilievre told reporters on Friday.

But according to the United Nations, "putting a price on carbon is widely seen as the most cost-effective and flexible way to achieve emission reduction."

Carbon pricing works by shifting the responsibility to greenhouse gas producers by giving them the option to either reduce their emissions, or pay a higher price for their emissions.

Poilievre said his plan to address climate change would be to lower the cost of carbon-free energy alternatives, including hydro electricity projects, nuclear power and tidal power.

He said Canada also has to invest more in carbon capture and storage.

"We need more nuclear power, but it takes 12 to 15 years to get a nuclear plant approved," he said.

"We can do all of the safety and environmental protections for a new nuclear plant in three or four years rather than 15 or 20. What are we learning in years 15 and 16 that we cannot learn in years one or two?"

On violent crime, Poilievre referred to a new Statistics Canada report which says police-reported crime in Canada has increased for the second year in a row, with violent crime reaching its highest point since 2007.

Police reported 874 homicides last year, 78 more than in 2021. The overall rate increased by eight per cent to 2.25 homicides per 100,000 population — the highest rate since 1992, Statistics Canada said in its report.

"We will end Trudeau's catch and release policies and bring jail and not bail. Jail and not bail for repeat violent offenders," Poilievre said Friday.

He said a Conservative government would also "stop giving out tax funded drugs and start giving out treatment, detox and recovery to bring home our loved ones drug free."

But harm reduction organizations like Sudbury's Réseau Access Network argue a safe drug supply would save lives by removing toxic drugs from the supply.