Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

By The Canadian Press

Poilievre lays out demands ahead of budget, includes call to cut wasteful spending

Nov 1, 2026 | 2:00 AM

OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is pushing for the federal government to eliminate all federal taxes on diesel until Canada Day, part of a list of demands ahead of the budget being tabled on Nov. 5.

In a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, Poilievre says suspending the GST on fuel until summer and permanently scrapping the fuel standard tax would save Canadians money whether they’re buying groceries or toys for Christmas.

The letter also calls for the Liberal government to cut wasteful and inflationary spending and fulfil promises to reduce both the debt-to-GDP ratio and deficit-to-GDP.

Poilievre says keeping his word to reduce the debt and deficit as a share of the economy is the bare minimum Carney can do.

The Parliamentary Budget Office has predicted that the government will not meet its fiscal anchor of maintaining a declining deficit-to-GDP ratio; instead, the office expects the measure to rise in 2027-28 and 2029-30.

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The office also expects a $63.3-billion deficit in fiscal 2026-27, down from a forecast of $71.8 billion in its June outlook. It sees annual deficit levels peaking at $70.2 billion the following year. 

Poilievre says Carney’s government has the biggest deficit ever outside of the COVID-19 pandemic and the highest spending as a share of GDP since the 1990s debt crisis

He says the prime minister has helped drive up the cost of basic living expenses that people can’t afford.

“You promised affordability. Yet everything is more expensive since you took office. While you cannot control things outside Canada, your decisions at home have only made things worse,” the letter says.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has said the budget will “outline the next steps in our plan to build a stronger, more resilient and more affordable Canada.”

Poilievre lays out demands ahead of budget, includes call to cut wasteful spending

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