Carney, Poilievre in Montreal today as election campaign continues

CTV News' political commentator Scott Reid shares his political analysis on Day 23 of the federal election.

OTTAWA — Liberal Leader Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre are both campaigning in Montreal today and making announcements about defence procurement and justice reform.

Poilievre is vowing to use the notwithstanding clause to implement some of his crime agenda — something no federal government has ever done.

He says that “to bring justice back to the criminal justice system,” the Conservatives would reverse a Supreme Court decision that found it was unconstitutional to sentence people to consecutive life sentences.

Carney’s Liberals are promising to overhaul defence procurement with modernized rules and a new defence procurement agency.

Carney is also pledging to help the Canadian defence industry grow and diversify its markets through international exports.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, campaigning in Toronto this morning, is promising to encourage provinces to fast-track accreditation for foreign-trained nurses and to tie health-care funding to improvements in nurse-to-patient ratios and working conditions.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 14, 2025.