Poilievre visits Hamilton, talks Ukraine, homelessness and opioid crisis

Federal conservative leader Pierre Poilievre made several campaign stops in Hamilton on Saturday.

The opposition party leader debuted at a Ukraine support rally that was held outside city hall.

He told the crowd that the current Liberal government needs to do more for the Ukrainian war effort, and promised that if elected, his party would eagerly deliver on the broken promises of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Following the rally, Poilievre made his way to a car wash on Hamilton’s east mountain, where he spoke on the rising cost of rent across the country.

“It shouldn’t be over a thousand bucks. I mean, that’s what it was eight years ago. Nationwide you could rent the average one bedroom for $950.”

He says his party plans to force municipalities to permit 15 per cent more home building per year — and if they miss that target, they’ll be fined by losing out on federal infrastructure money.

The opposition leader turned the issue from housing to homelessness, saying that to the two problems go hand-in-hand.

“We need to speed up and lower the costs of permits so we can build millions of new homes so everyone can have roof over head.”

He then slammed safer supply strategies implemented by the Trudeau government, claiming what he sees as a failed policy as another underlying issue that perpetuates homelessness throughout the country.

And when asked whether he believes trans-women are women, the opposition leader dodged the question and instead reaffirmed his stance that trans women shouldn’t be allowed in some women’s changerooms.

READ MORE: Pierre Poilievre backs banning trans women from certain female spaces