The trade war loomed large over Day 18 of the federal election campaign, after Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on American automobiles took effect overnight, and U.S. President Donald Trump announced a pause on many of his country’s duties.
While campaigning in Alberta, Liberal Leader Mark Carney announced plans to make Canada “the world’s leading energy superpower,” with streamlined natural resource project approvals.
Meanwhile, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, during a stop in Ontario, vowed to undertake the “biggest crackdown on crime” in the country’s history, with a “Three Striikes, You’re Out” law.
In Vancouver, Jagmeet Singh announced that he would establish a public pharmacare system within four years of being elected.
Both Green co-leaders spent the day in Ottawa before heading to Montreal, where Jonathan Pedneault remained as Elizabeth May launched a whistle-stop tour to Moncton.
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet spoke at McGill University, then appeared at a number of campaign events in Longueuil, Beloeil and the Montreal suburb of Mont-Saint-Hilaire.
Here’s a recap of what happened on Day 18 of the campaign.
7:40 p.m. EDT: Poilievre comments on Trump’s latest at rally
Before diving into prepared rally remarks at a Brampton banquet hall Wednesday night, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre commented on the latest with U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff war.
“I have to address today’s latest disrespect by President Trump,” Poilievre said. “While President Trump announced a 90-day pause on tariffs for dozens of countries, he kept those tariffs in place on Canada.”
“Almost every country in the world got a pause on American tariffs, but not us... and again, this after Prime Minister Carney posted that he had a, quote, ‘productive’ phone call with the president,” Poilievre continued, to applause.
Ahead of the event as the room filled up, CTV News noted a divider was closing off some of the room. There were lots of signs among the crowd for local candidates, some “Canada is not for sale” hats, and a few folks donning “Do you believe the polls?” apparel.
The theme of tonight’s rally is “Stop the crime,” and ahead of Poilievre’s remarks, Oakville East, Ont., candidate Rob Chhinzer, a former Peel and Toronto police officer, spoke about the issue.
Then, after coming out to the Dean Brody song “Canadian Girls,” Poilievre’s wife Anaida spoke about what’s motivating this campaign, and how she believes in his message.
“I’m very happy to be here by my husband’s side. I’ve been here since the beginning. I’ve attended every single press conference, every rally,” she said.
Rachel Aiello, CTV News national correspondent
4:55 p.m. EDT: Singh responds to Sask. MLA’s ‘terrorist’ remark
Before boarding a plane out of Vancouver, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh addressed comments from a Saskatchewan MLA who labelled him a “terrorist” from the provincial legislature last month.
Racquel Hilbert was criticizing the province’s NDP during a budget debate on March 25 when she accused members of failing to “denounce their federal leader as being a terrorist in India.”
Singh told reporters he was personally “unfazed” by the remark, but worried about the effects it could have on the broader public.
“For them to just casually lie about something and say something that’s defamatory and negative in that way, what message does it send to a young kid growing up in Saskatchewan who might look different, might wear a head covering?” Singh said.
“That’s what I’m worried about – the message it sends, and how it basically opens a door to people to discriminate folks based on the way they look.”
Hilbert apologized for the remark Wednesday. In a statement to CTV News, she called her comment “inaccurate and inappropriate.”
Andrew Weichel, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist
2:40 p.m. EDT: Carney says he wants to make Canada ‘leading energy superpower’
Canada should be turned into “the world’s leading energy superpower,” Liberal Leader Mark Carney says.
Speaking in Calgary, Alta., Carney said the Liberal approach would be defined by three objectives, energy security; trade diversification; and, long-term competitiveness.
Carney said the Liberals would connect critical mineral projects to supply chains via a new “First and Last Mile Fund”; accelerate exploration and extraction activity; and speed up clean energy projects across the country.
Carney said the Liberals would also establish a Major Federal Project Office to advance a “One Project, One Review” approach to cut down on duplication, and double the Indigenous Loan Guarantee Program from $5 billion to $10 billion.
He told the Alberta audience that he understands the province and that the Liberals would recognize Canada is “home to an abundance of… conventional and clean energy resources” in their policy.
“We need to get more clean energy built, and our system of investment tax credits are promoting a generational investment in clean energy” Carney said. “They’re an investment in making oil and gas the lowest emission (oil and gas) and therefore the most competitive in the world.
Joshua Freeman, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist
Read the full story here.
1:05 p.m. EDT: Singh wants minority government, pledges full pharmacare in 4 years
Speaking in Vancouver, Singh said Canadians are telling him, “they believe Ottawa works best when one party doesn’t have all the power.” Singh pointed to the progress on pharmacare in the last Parliament as proof that Canadians benefit from minority governments.
The first phase of pharmacare was one of the policies that came out of the supply and confidence agreement struck by Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government and the NDP in March of 2022.
Today, in a cramped pharmacy, Singh warned that people continue get squeezed when it come to paying for prescription drugs.
The NDP is proposing a full pharmacare program within four years. According to a news release from the party, they want to start with essential medicines, including around “100 of the most prescribed medications in this country.”
The party says the cost of such a program would be $3.5 billion per year.
Singh also cited threats from U.S. President Donald Trump as a reason to act now: “(Trump) wants to pull away our generic producers out of our country and bring them to the state, so we’ll lose the capacity to make medication here, and prices will go up.”
Mike Le Couteur, CTV News correspondent
12:30 p.m. EDT: Blanchet wants Quebec exempt from Official Languages Act
Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet says he wants to see more done to protect French language in Quebec, including an exemption from the Official Languages Act.
Standing in front of McGill University – a renowned English-language university in Montreal – Blanchet accused the federal government of spending $200 million over 2023 and 2024 to promote English language in Quebec through the Action Plan for Official Languages.
Blanchet said he wants to see French as the dominant language in federal workplaces in Quebec, and said only those competent in French at hiring should receive federal appointments.
He also wants sufficient knowledge of French to be a requirement for managers of federally regulated corporations such as VIA Rail, Canada Post and Radio-Canada.
Blanchet also shrugged off suggestions that his seat may not be safe when a reporter noted that he has been spending more time in his Beloeil—Chambly riding during the campaign.
“I’m very attached to the people of that riding, and I wish I could be in my riding more often,” he said in French. “If someone is suggesting that there’s a problem for me in my riding, well then that’s the kind of humor that would not fill a room.”
Blanchet has represented Beloeil—Chambly since 2019. ’
Joshua Freeman, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist
9:40 a.m. EDT: Conservatives vow to end “catch and release” for repeat offenders
Pierre Poilievre is vowing to “carry out the biggest crackdown on crime in Canadian history.”
At a campaign stop in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Poilievre unveiled a proposed law that he said would target “rampant career criminals.”
The “Three Strikes, You’re Out Law” would lock up offenders for 10 years without parole, bail or house arrest following a third conviction for a serious offence, Poilievre said.
“Even still, we will designate such offenders as dangerous offenders, meaning they cannot be released until they have proven that they are no longer a danger to society,” Poilievre said.
He took aim at the Liberals and said their “soft on crime policy and easy bail” have unleashed “chaos.”
Joshua Freeman, CTVNews.ca federal election journalist
Conservatives continue to make gains at halfway point
The federal Liberals’ advantage over the Conservatives has narrowed further and sits at four points on Day 18, the halfway point of the federal election campaign.
A three-day rolling sample by Nanos Research ending April 8 has the Liberals at 43 per cent over the Conservatives who are now at 39 per cent nationally.
The New Democratic Party climbed a point but remains in single digits at nine per cent, followed by the Bloc Quebecois (six per cent), Green Party of Canada (two per cent) and the People’s Party of Canada (one per cent).
“We are in a world where 39 per cent support for the Conservatives is not enough to win an election,” said Nik Nanos, chief data scientist at Nanos Research and official pollster for CTV News and the Globe and Mail.
“This is a result of the increasing polarization centred around the two front running parties.”
Read the full story here.
Phil Hahn, CTVNews.ca election editor-in-chief
On the trail: Carney addresses packed crowd in Calgary
“I thought I was in Calgary,” Mark Carney joked as he kicked off his rally speech to a packed room in Calgary, making a reference to his party’s unpopularity in Alberta.
Campaign staff tell CTV news they knew there was momentum but even they were surprised by the turnout — estimated at 2,300 but far too big for the room, forcing hundreds to listen on a speaker outside. Some people left, seemingly irritated and a couple remarking they were too cold, rather than stick it out without a view of the Liberal leader.
I spent time before the rally walking the line and talking to voters. It took no time at all to find people waiting who were former Conservative and NDP voters, now saying they’ll vote Liberal because of Carney.
Those I spoke who were not regular Liberal voters generally said they disliked Pierre Poilievre’s negativity or he reminded them too much of Donald Trump. Multiple people pointed to Carney’s business experience, and viewing him as a better option to take on Trump, as reasons to vote Liberal.
The Liberals currently hold two seats in Alberta, with only one of the two incumbents running again.
Abigail Bimman, CTV News national correspondent
