Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre on Saturday (April 5) took his campaign to the Okanagan, pledging to support small businesses by cutting all bureaucratic red tape by 25 per cent within two years if elected Canada's next prime minister.
"Bureaucracy and red tape have grown," Poilievre said during a press conference at South Okanagan Concrete Products in Osoyoos. "The burden is staggering."
The federal party leader, who later welcomed thousands for a rally in Penticton, also said his government would introduce a 鈥榯wo-for-one鈥� law mandating that two regulations be repealed for every new one imposed.
"We'll give a legal mandate to the auditor general to ensure these rules are being followed," he added. "This will force the senior bureaucracy to constantly comb through the rules and get rid of unnecessary and useless regulations."
Poilievre's "Canada First" rally on Saturday took place at 1074 Government St. in Penticton. Large crowds were seen filing through the venue's doors at 3:30 p.m.
Conservative candidate for Similkameen鈥擲outh Okanagan鈥擶est Kootenay Helena Konanz and Dan Albas, candidate for Okanagan Lake West-South Kelowna, joined Poilievre in Osoyoos and Penticton.
"Small business is the backbone of our small communities throughout the riding, and we need to support them," Konanz said.
Poilievre, who will be in New Westminster on Sunday, also said Saturday he would "stand up" to U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration's tariffs on Canada.
"The most powerful thing we can do to break free from dependence on the Americans is to unleash the power of our resources," Poilievre said.
He claimed his plan to cut income taxes by 15 per cent would provide "economic rocket fuel, especially in the Okanagan where you have so many realtors, small businesses, and entrepreneurs."
Liberal Leader Mark Carney spent Saturday campaigning in Ontario, while the NDP's Jagmeet Singh was in Atlantic Canada.
Election day is April 28.
