CALGARY, Alberta (LifeSiteNews) –– In a rousing speech at this year’s annual Calgary Stampede, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre promised that if he is elected prime minister, Canadians won’t have to worry about “mandates,” the imposition of a “digital currency” or a compulsory “digital ID” system, while also assuring parents that they will always “come first” when it comes to their children.
“We will ban all of my ministers and top government officials from any involvement in the World Economic Forum,” said Poilievre at a Conservative Party of Canada Calgary Stampede event which took place at Heritage Park Historical Village on Saturday, in an address that went on a direct attack against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government policies.
“There will be no more mandates, no more central bank digital currency, no mandated Digital ID.”
Poilievre grew up in Calgary and was in the city to attend both the Calgary Stampede as well as to show support for his local Conservative candidate running in the Calgary-Heritage federal by-election, taking place on July 24.
His speech touched on parental rights, freedom of individuals, and support for Canada’s western oil and gas-producing provinces, which have been under attack from Trudeau’s “climate change” initiatives.
“What we see with Justin Trudeau today is an entirely different ideological creature. He believes in controlling your money by raising the carbon tax to $0.61 a liter, he believes in controlling your industry by destroying the energy sector in this province, he believes in controlling your thoughts and words by censoring the Internet,” said Poilievre.
Poilievre said that Trudeau is “dividing people into groups so that they can more easily be controlled.”
“This is not a more extreme form of liberalism; this is the opposite of liberalism. Wokeism is about nothing more than control; more power in his hands, less freedom for the people,” he noted.
“It is exactly the opposite of what we need in this country, and that is why we will restore the Canada that you know and that we love Canada, which is the freest nation on earth.”
Poilievre then promised that should the Conservative Party be elected as the government in the next election, and should he become prime minister, he would “axe” the carbon tax and help lift the regulatory burden on Canadian farmers.
“By lowering the carbon tax and removing the penalties that the Trudeau government is putting on our fertilizer, we will allow our farmers once again to be the most productive and produce the most food so we can feed our nation,” he noted.
As it stands today, the Trudeau government has imposed an ideologically driven carbon tax on all Canadians, which critics have said is worsening the impact of inflation on ordinary citizens.
Poilievre said that the “Prime Minister disrespects and dishonors Western Canadians, just like his father [former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau] did.”
‘Parents come first’
To rousing cheers, Poilievre said that a Conservative government would “recognize once and for all that parents come first in raising our children.”
“Their values should come before the government’s imposition. Justin Trudeau needs to butt out and let provinces run schools and parents raise children,” he said to loud applause.
He promised that a Conservative government would “uphold freedom here and everywhere.”
“We will stop interference by Beijing and our democracy. Canadians should choose their government, not communist dictators, from abroad,” he charged.
In late June, Poilievre first told Trudeau to “butt out” over the province of New Brunswick’s decision to add parental protections to its “Gender Identity” policy for public schools, which mandates that teachers must consult with parents before calling a student by non-biologically based pronouns or a different name.
Poilievre’s dismal record on life and family
Despite Poilievre’s recent statements, which appear to be in favor of parental rights and social conservatism more broadly, the Conservative leader has a track-record which indicates support for both abortion and the LGBT agenda.
While Poilievre voted against “gay marriage” earlier in his career, he later said he regretted doing so.
In 2021, he voted in favor of the Trudeau government’s pro-LGBT “conversion therapy ban,” which critics warn may lead to the criminal prosecution of those who defend Biblical sexual morality, even just to their own children.
Poilievre has also said his government would “never” reopen the abortion debate in Canada, despite being adopted himself and earlier in his youth and career being known as a solid pro-lifer.
Disturbing many Canadians, Poilievre in 2021 even voted against a bill that sought to ban sex-selective abortion in Canada.
It should be noted, however, that while Poilievre himself holds pro-abortion and pro-LGBT positions, some of his MPs have solid pro-life views.
The next Canadian federal election is not scheduled to take place until 2025. However, if Trudeau’s minority government loses the confidence of the House of Commons, an election at an earlier date may be triggered.