Liberals and Conservatives campaign in Quebec, NDP proposes tax measures

  • Canadian Press

Federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre and wife Anaida Poilievre wave to supporters during a federal election campaign event in Richmond Hill, Ont., on Tuesday, March 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

OTTAWA -- Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Liberal Leader Mark Carney are shifting their campaigns to Quebec, while the NDP rolls out its tax plan.

Under the plan put forward by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, anyone making less than $177,882 would not pay taxes on the first $19,500 they earn, saving them about $505 annually.

Singh is at a seniors recreation centre in Hamilton, Ont. this morning and is expected to end the day with a campaign event in London.

Poilievre unveiled his campaign plane this morning in Hamilton, Ont., though the Conservatives chose to depart from past practice by not allowing political reporters to travel with the leader. He is travelling to Quebec where he'll hold a press conference in Montmagny, east of Quebec City.

His party is promising to allow working seniors to earn up to $34,000 tax-free, an increase of $10,000, and to raise the age for using RRSPs by two years, so seniors can keep growing their savings until age 73.

Poilievre is also promising to keep the retirement age at 65 for old age security, the guaranteed income supplement and the Canada Pension Plan.

Carney, who spent the first few days of the campaign in Atlantic Canada, will be in Ontario today for an announcement and a facility tour in Windsor, a facility tour in London and a rally in Kitchener.

The Liberal leader said Tuesday he expected to be in Quebec by Thursday.

Quebec is a seat-rich province with 78 federal ridings, and recent polls suggest the Liberals have reversed a lead previously held by the Bloc.

The parties' plans to visit Quebec come as Carney faces criticism for choosing not to take part in a French-language leaders debate proposed by Quebec broadcaster TVA that has since been scrapped.

Other party leaders, including Poilievre, Singh and Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-Francois Blanchet, have needled Carney over the decision.

"The Liberals want to be re-elected for a 4th term, but their leader is too afraid to debate me in French," Poilievre said on social media Monday. "If Mark Carney is too fragile to debate other leaders, how can he stand up to Donald Trump?"

Singh was in Montreal earlier this week.

A new Leger poll, released this week, suggests that 44 per cent of decided voters will vote Liberal in the upcoming election, ahead of the Conservatives at 38 per cent. The poll had the NDP at just six per cent.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 26, 2025.