In a bold move that breaks with federal precedent, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he will invoke the notwithstanding clause to push through his party’s tough-on-crime legislation—setting up a clash between public safety and Charter rights.
While campaigning in Montreal, Poilievre pledged to introduce a law allowing consecutive life sentences for mass murderers, a practice struck down by the Supreme Court in 2022 for violating constitutional protections.
Citing the case of Alexandre Bissonnette, who murdered six people at a Quebec City mosque in 2017, Poilievre argued that families should never be forced to relive their trauma during repeated parole hearings.
“You should never be able to force the families of the victims to come and testify at a parole hearing so they relive the hell that you’ve exacted on them,” Poilievre said.
He also reiterated his plan to impose mandatory life sentences for fentanyl traffickers, human traffickers, and those smuggling 10 or more firearms, as well as a “three-strikes rule” for repeat offenders.
Legal experts have questioned the viability of such proposals in light of past Supreme Court rulings. Poilievre confirmed he would deploy Section 33 of the Charter—the notwithstanding clause—specifically to fight crime, adding it’s necessary to protect “life, liberty and security of the person.”
Carney Targets Faster Defence Deals, New Procurement Agency in Montreal Stop
Liberal Leader Mark Carney, also campaigning in Montreal, promised to overhaul Canada’s defence procurement process—an issue long criticized for delays and inefficiencies.
Standing at Bombardier’s Dorval facility, Carney unveiled plans for a new federal procurement agency with stronger powers and fewer bureaucratic barriers.
“There’s an enormous opportunity… to ensure we have maximum economic benefit here in Canada,” said Carney.
Although a similar promise was made in 2019 by the Trudeau government, it never materialized. Carney now says legislative changes will centralize procurement expertise and prioritize Canadian suppliers, while also accelerating contract timelines and international defence exports.
Singh Promises to Fix Nurse Shortage and End “Two-Tier” Agency System
While in Toronto, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh focused on Canada’s strained health care system, pledging to end “agency nursing” and push for immediate accreditation of foreign-trained nurses.
“We all have stories of going to an emergency room and waiting for hours,” Singh said. “Universal public health care is one of the things Canadians are so proud of.”
Singh vowed to help hire 35,000 new nurses over five years, directly addressing a reported shortage of 33,000. He also said Canada should recruit U.S. nurses potentially seeking to leave under Trump-era policies.
Singh emphasized that New Democrats were behind both dental care and pharmacare programs now implemented by the Liberals—highlighting the NDP’s role as a kingmaker in Parliament.
Debate Stage Set as Election Campaign Heats Up
All major party leaders are preparing for the official French and English-language debates happening in Montreal this week. The federal debate commission says topics will include cost of living, energy and climate, public safety, tariffs, and crisis leadership.
At Queen’s Park, Ontario Premier Doug Ford weighed in, calling the debates “critical.” He also addressed criticism from his former campaign director, Kory Teneycke, who recently said the Conservatives’ plummet in polling reflected “campaign malpractice.”
“Sometimes the truth hurts,” Ford said. “If Kory was running that campaign, I don’t think Mr. Poilievre would be in the position he’s in.”