Poilievre says Conservatives to focus on affordability in critical byelections next month

OTTAWA - Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says his party will focus on affordability and the cost of living in three critical byelections happening next month.

“We will be running candidates on the platform of making Canada affordable at home and stronger at home,” Poilievre said while speaking to reporters on Parliament Hill on Monday. “We think that the number 1 issue in all three of these communities is that people can’t afford to eat.”

Poilievre also said his party will run candidates in all three ridings.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced three byelections scheduled for April 13 in the ridings of Scarborough Southwest, Terrebonne and University-Rosedale.

The Liberals currently have a minority government with 169 seats in the House of Commons, just three seats shy of the 172 seats required for a majority. If the Liberals win all three seats, they will secure a majority government.

The Toronto ridings University-Rosedale and Scarborough Southwest were vacated when two high profile MPs, Chrystia Freeland and Bill Blair, stepped down earlier this year for other opportunities.

Meanwhile, the voters in the Quebec riding of Terrebonne saw the result of their election overturned by the Supreme Court in February. The Liberal candidate, Tatiana Auguste, had won the riding by just one vote. Her opponent, Nathalie Sinclair-Desgagné of the Bloc Québécois, demanded a byelection.

Asked by reporters if the Carney government will secure a majority with the upcoming byelections, Poilievre wouldn’t say.

But speaking in French, Poilievre did say that issues like the cost of living and crime will worsen for Canadians if the Liberals gain a majority government.

In a statement to CTV News on Sunday, the Conservative Party said they have several interested candidates in all three ridings and will make announcements early next week.

Elections Canada says advance voting for the byelections will happen April 3-6.

With files from CTV News’ Luca Caruso-Moro