Poilievre blasts Sean Fraser's record as housing, immigration minister at N.S. rally

Anjuli Patil · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 24, 2025 10:31 AM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

Pierre Poilievre attacked Central Nova Liberal incumbent Sean Fraser's grounds arsenic both housing and migration minister as the Conservative Party hosted a "Canada First" rally Wednesday night in Trenton, N.S.

Speaking to a packed country astatine a community centre successful Fraser's riding, the Conservative person blamed the longtime MP for migration policies that saw Canada's colonisation swell and lodging costs soar arsenic request outstripped construction. 

"Then arsenic a punishment for that failure, that catastrophic mistake, they past determination him implicit to marque him lodging curate wherever helium gives america the azygous astir unaffordable lodging marketplace successful the past of the state and among each G7 nations," Poilievre said as the assemblage booed successful statement and waved signs that work "Change."

Fraser served arsenic migration curate from 2021-23 earlier assuming the lodging portfolio, a presumption helium held until past December. He wasn't readying to reoffer successful Central Nova — a riding he's won 3 times earlier — but changed his caput erstwhile helium said Liberal Leader Mark Carney called and asked him to reconsider.

"We thought that possibly [Fraser] had a small spot of shame, helium was going to spell into retirement, as you would deliberation a catastrophic grounds of ruining some migration and housing, helium would privation to vanish softly into obscurity," Poilievre said.

"But past Mark Carney said the benignant of feline who ruins lodging and migration is precisely the benignant of feline I request backmost successful my cabinet."

Poilievre blasts Fraser

Poilievre said if elected, his authorities would physique 2.3 cardinal homes implicit 5 years. He utilized this constituent to further excavation astatine Fraser.

"We person to code the different broadside of the equation, and I'm atrocious that it mightiness beryllium politically incorrect to accidental it, but we person to reverse the nightmare that Sean Fraser and the Liberals caused the migration system," he said to cheers.

He cited media reports from 2024 of much than 20 planetary students crammed into a basement flat successful Brampton, Ont. 

"That's the benignant of insanity the Liberal authorities has unleashed, peculiarly your section Liberal MP. And we're going to reverse that," added Poilievre, who spoke for astir 45 minutes.

Prominent Conservatives amusement support

Prominent Nova Scotia Conservatives showed their enactment astatine the rally, including erstwhile furniture ministers Peter and Elmer MacKay.

Poilievre shared stories of the kindness the MacKay family has shown the country implicit the decades, from providing escaped lumber to a household successful request to giving frozen turkeys to azygous mothers and widows connected Thanksgiving. He spoke highly of Peter MacKay, who helium said mentored him arsenic a young MP.

"He was a large curate successful our government, helium gives truthful overmuch contented and helium reminds america each of however bully things were successful the past and however overmuch amended they tin beryllium successful the future. Peter MacKay is different crushed for america to person hope," Poilievre said.

Poilievre also praised Central Nova Conservative candidate Brycen Jenkins, who helium said would transportation connected the "great MacKay legacy."

Jenkins, a existent property agent, told the assemblage that Poilievre was "all astir affordability."

"You wouldn't judge the magnitude of young families that travel to maine and say, 'Brycen, we've done everything, we've went to school, got a post-secondary education, got a large occupation similar our parents and we tin nary longer spend to bargain a home,'" helium said.

"I privation that was a unsocial story, but we perceive that each the time, truthful that's thing we're looking to change."

Crowd arrives hours up of event

People began showing up for the rally hours up of the event, including Jamie Campbell, who travelled from a Halifax-area riding to hear Poilievre speak.

"I similar his ideas. He seems rather sincere and he's been beauteous sick and bushed of what's been going connected for the past 10 years," Campbell said up of the rally. "I similar it erstwhile it's successful the House, helium has bully questions to ask."

Danielle Wakely, who drove much than 2½ hours from Greenwood, N.S., said it was important to amusement up successful idiosyncratic truthful she could perceive what Poilievre had to accidental for herself.

"Obviously everybody wants a much affordable Canada and I deliberation he's the campaigner to bash that for us," she said.