Tory leader takes aim at Liberals with call for emergency debate on the economy
Posted May 31, 2026 9:36 am.
Last Updated May 31, 2026 7:07 pm.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is stepping up his attack on Liberal policies with a call for an emergency parliamentary debate on the economy.
Statistics Canada said Friday the economy contracted slightly for the second quarter in a row to start the year — a benchmark that meets some definitions of a technical recession.
Some economists said the recession talk was premature, arguing that while Canada’s economy is soft, the declines are marginal and do not meet the definition of a widespread downturn.
In an open letter to Mark Carney on Sunday, Poilievre says a debate would give the prime minister a chance to tell Canadians about his plan to improve things.
Poilievre says it would also allow his party to share plans for an economic turnaround.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Friday he remains confident about the economy, noting the government plans to make generational investments in housing, infrastructure and innovation.
