Photo by Curtis Galbraith.

By Curtis Galbraith

Federal Politics

Organizers estimate 1200-1400 people came to a Pierre Poilievre rally in Grande Prairie

Jul 12, 2022 | 6:05 PM

Organizers say between 1200 and 1400 people gathered at the Bonnett’s Energy Centre Tuesday afternoon for a rally in support of Pierre Poilievre’s campaign to become the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.

Poilievre says it was gratifying for him to see such a turnout.

“I think people are ready to take back control of their lives after years of big bossy government taking their money and telling them what to do. They are joining my effort to make Canada the freest country on earth.”

Poilievre says people are losing freedoms in three ways.

“First of all, people have lost their medical freedom through mandates. Most of those mandates are gone but we need to get rid of the rest.”

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“Second, the government’s attack on freedom of speech through censorship laws that they’re passing, (Bill) C-11 being the worst, and then third, they are losing economic freedom. Inflation is making it possible for people to afford food, housing, and fuel.”

He adds if he becomes Prime Minister, he will fight inflation by making government more affordable.

“The reason we have inflation is because the cost of government is driving up the cost of living. A half-trillion dollars of inflationary deficits means more money chasing fewer goods. Inflationary taxes make it more expensive to produce those goods. The more government spends, the more things cost.”

“I’m going to bring government spending back down to (an) affordable level.”

Poilievre says he would bring in a law that would require the government to find a dollar of savings for every dollar of new spending, eliminate the Canada Infrastructure Bank to save $35 billion, and defund the CBC to save another $1 billion.

He adds the people he talked to at the rally want a fair deal for Alberta.

“For too long, Liberals in Ottawa have told Alberta to pay up and shut up. That is going to end when I’m prime minister. We’re going to make the system fair.”

“We’re also going to eliminate the anti-energy laws so that Alberta and the west can lead the world in producing the most ethical energy on earth.”

Poilievre says he would help farmers by getting rid of the carbon tax.

“That will make it possible for us to produce more fertilizer here in Canada and we’re also going to resist the radical agenda of the Trudeau government and other governments to attack fertilizer. There is no way we can produce affordable food without fertilizer.”

Grande Prairie-Mackenzie MP Chris Warkentin says he doesn’t think he has ever seen a political event this big in Grande Prairie.

“Standing room only with 800 chairs that were available. This is unprecedented in Grande Prairie.”

“There is an enthusiasm that has followed Pierre’s campaign from one side of this country to the other.”

Warkentin says it is also unprecedented to see such a crowd come out for a political event in Grande Prairie on a Tuesday afternoon in the middle of summer.

“There is enthusiasm to get our house in order, our fiscal house in order. These are the things I hear in my constituency office when I am traveling throughout the constituency.”

“Canadians, broadly I believe, want their government to do what the government should be doing and doing it well.”

Warkentin says the government is unable to do what it should be doing because it is spending all its time on things it should not be involved in.

Five people are running for the party’s leadership. The winner will be announced in September.