Poilievre asks Carney to reconvene Parliament 'without delay' after trade talks collapse

'In a crisis that defines the future of our people and our country, Conservatives are ready to return to Parliament, to act with the urgency our people demand, and to put Canada first,' the opposition leader said

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to reconvene Parliament, so that MPs can scrutinize the failed U.S. trade deal and the government’s response to the fallout.

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In a letter to Carney dated Sunday and shared on social media Monday morning, Poilievre wrote: “Canadians elect Parliament to defend their interest and decide the hard questions. Those questions can no longer wait.”

He added that the official opposition has a duty to hold the government to account and asked the PM to “reconvene Parliament without delay” so that his party can fulfill this duty.

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Poilievre also called for the government to release the details of trade negotiations, to allow Canadians to “judge what options are on the table”. He added that the public deserves to know how Carney’s trade and economic policies could affect the cost of groceries, gas and other items.

“In a crisis that defines the future of our people and our country, Conservatives are ready to return to Parliament, to act with the urgency our people demand, and to put Canada first,” the letter concluded.

As Canadians are vulnerable to an escalating trade war with the United States, Parliament must be reconvened.Canadians deserve answers on how trade talks collapsed, what tariffs will cost their families, and how their jobs will be protected.Prime Minister, reconvene… pic.twitter.com/56WDAxG2rj

Carney suspended trade talks with the U.S. late on Friday, citing unfair last-minute demands and accusing the U.S. administration of introducing measures that would restrict Canada’s ability to do deals with other countries.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday morning, the PM said he had walked away from a “bad deal” and that Canada is now “at war” after being “attacked” by the steep tariffs.

As a result of the collapsed negotiations, 50 per cent tariffs came into effect at midnight on Saturday, impacting $28 billion worth of Canadian goods. In response, Carney has pledged dollar-for-dollar counter tariffs that will hit the U.S. starting Sept. 8.

Source: Read the original article on nationalpost.com