As the federal election campaign intensifies, Canada’s major party leaders spent Tuesday in and around Montreal, unveiling major policy announcements ahead of this week’s highly anticipated leaders’ debates. Liberal Leader Mark Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh all held campaign events, sharing their plans on core issues ranging from the economy and worker training to tax policy and fraud protection.
Mark Carney: $15,000 Upskilling Benefit for Mid-Career Workers
Liberal Leader Mark Carney promised a new training and upskilling benefit aimed at Canadian workers in the middle of their careers. Speaking at a campaign stop in St. Eustache, Quebec, Carney announced that workers in key sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, construction, A.I., and technology would be eligible for up to $15,000 in financial support to upgrade their skills.
“To build the fastest growing economy in the G7, we need a skilled workforce,” Carney said, emphasizing the need for lifelong education, especially amid growing economic uncertainty and pressure from U.S. tariffs. He added that the Liberals would work closely with businesses to help retain and retrain workers in priority industries.
Carney also addressed a recent report about Honda potentially relocating production from Canada to the U.S., calling the situation part of an ongoing North American trade war. He stressed that strong leadership and capable negotiation with U.S. President Donald Trump would be vital in protecting Canada’s auto industry. “It’s a war,” Carney said, “and who sits across from the U.S. president will matter.”
Pierre Poilievre: Anti-Fraud Plan to Protect Seniors
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, meanwhile, focused on protecting vulnerable Canadians—particularly senior citizens—from the growing threat of financial fraud. Speaking in Montreal, he announced the proposed “Stop Scamming Seniors Act”, which would hold banks and telecom companies more accountable in detecting and stopping scams.
Key features of Poilievre’s plan include:
Mandatory fraud detection systems for banks and telecom providers
Real-time flagging and blocking of suspicious transactions
Automatic jail terms of 1 to 5 years for large-scale fraud
Minimum fines of up to ten times the amount defrauded
“This is about justice and prevention,” said Poilievre. “After working hard all their lives, seniors should not lose their savings in seconds due to scams.” He also reaffirmed his support for Canada’s retaliatory counter-tariffs against U.S. imports, stating he does not believe those measures should be dropped in response to Trump’s tariffs.
Pressed by journalists, Poilievre doubled down on past promises, saying he still intends to defund the CBC and increase penalties for repeat violent offenders. However, his campaign stop was briefly disrupted when a senior citizen on stage appeared frustrated, later leaving and speaking to media about transparency and national priorities.
Jagmeet Singh: Criticizes Capital Gains Tax Rollback
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh took aim at both Liberals and Conservatives for their decision to repeal the planned increase to the capital gains tax on earnings above $250,000, originally introduced in the last federal budget.
Speaking in Montreal, Singh argued that the reversal would cost the federal government an estimated $19 billion in lost revenue—funds he says could be used to hire more doctors and expand national pharmacare.
“This is a clear example of the rich getting richer,” Singh said. “Both Carney and Poilievre are catering to wealthy investors while working Canadians continue to struggle.”
NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice, the party’s only Quebec MP, added that Singh’s strategy in the upcoming French debate would focus on showing Canadians that Carney and Poilievre represent more of the same, even claiming that former Conservative PM Stephen Harper once considered Carney for a finance role.
What’s Ahead: Leaders’ Debates This Week
All three leaders are preparing for two pivotal debates this week. The French-language debate is scheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m. EDT, followed by the English-language debate on Thursday.
As the campaign enters a critical phase, voters can expect more sharp contrasts in policy and leadership style—particularly on the economy, healthcare, and Canada’s response to global trade challenges.
