Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced his party will be kicking off a “massive nationwide campaign” to overturn the federal government’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate, which he said will harm automakers, farmers, and rural communities.
Speaking to reporters in Saskatchewan on Aug. 14, Poilievre said the campaign will include motions in the House of Commons, press conferences and events at car dealerships across Canada, petitions, and “pressure campaigns” in Liberal-held ridings.
The Tory leader said these events will “mobilize Canadians to maintain their right to decide what car they can afford and what car works for them.”
The Liberal government’s EV mandate, which was introduced in 2023 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, decrees that at least 20 percent of new light-duty vehicles offered for sale in 2026 must be zero-emission, with the share rising each year until it reaches 100 percent in 2035. Automakers unable to meet the 2026 target can purchase compliance credits from competitors without a manufacturing footprint in Canada and limit sales of internal combustion vehicles….