Poilievre blasts carbon tax, boosts Higgs during N.B. swing

Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre stormed into New Brunswick Friday, building more momentum for his campaign to cancel the carbon tax, while also lending a much-needed hand to Premier Blaine Higgs.

Appearing at a Saint John gas station, Poilievre called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to "cancel this heartless and cruel April 1st tax hike," when the federal charge will increase from 14 to 17 cents per litre of gas.

But his main event was as the headliner at a $600-a-ticket fundraiser for the New Brunswick Progressive Conservative Party, which is facing a tough re-election fight later this year.

"Premier Higgs has joined with common sense conservatives across the country to axe the tax and tonight I will thank him and all New Brunswick Conservatives for locking arms with us on that," Poilievre told reporters at the gas station on Bayside Drive.

The provincial party has been heavily promoting the dinner, which is designed to fatten party bank accounts for a provincial election scheduled for Oct. 21.

Supporters were invited to pay an extra $200 to attend a reception before the dinner.

Reporters were not allowed to cover those events. Instead Poilievre took questions at the east side gas station.

He said he wanted to boost Higgs because a provincial Liberal government might replace the federal carbon tax he plans to cancel with a New Brunswick version.

"The last thing we want after I axe the tax is for there to be another Trudeau-style provincial government that puts it back on," he said.

WATCH | Poilievre to dine with premier tonight:

Heres where Poilievre and Higgs align

7 months ago

Duration 0:54

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says hell thank Premier Blaine Higgs for locking arms with him on the carbon tax.

"And that's the risk. Whenever you vote Liberal, you know you should hold on to your wallet, because they'll be coming for your money."

In fact, New Brunswick Liberal Leader Susan Holt joined a chorus of premiers from different parties in calling for Trudeau to postpone the April 1 increase.

That hike will be accompanied by a corresponding increase in the federal carbon rebate, something Poilievre did not mention.

The federal Conservative leader has opened a wide polling lead against the governing Trudeau Liberals nationally.

But provincially, Higgs has lagged behind the New Brunswick Liberals. The last Narrative Research poll showed 66 per cent of respondents were dissatisfied with his government's performance.

University of New Brunswick Saint John political science professor J.P. Lewis says Poilievre can help Higgs in two ways.

First, Poilievre has a solid base of support nationally.

"If a like-minded politician from a similar-type party can link onto that excitement, that momentum, for at least one night I think any politician is going to take that," Lewis said.

"If someone can draw upon that, it would seem like smart strategy."

Second, with the turmoil in Higgs's caucus, including the resignation of three Saint John-area ministers over the last year, the fundraiser could help bring together disgruntled party volunteers.

"A positive night for Saint John-area Conservatives, whether they put more of their attention to the federal or provincial level, is a good thing for the Conservative cause generally in the area," he said.

Poilievre plans a rally in Fredericton Saturday afternoon before moving on to Halifax later in the day.