At a recycling facility in Montreal, Poilievre said his party plans to end the ban enacted by the Liberals in 2022 which prohibits the manufacture and sale of six single-use plastic items, including straws, grocery bags and cutlery.

 He also said If elected , he would end Liberal plans to standardize plastic packaging and labelling to make it easier to recycle.

The plastic ban in place does not currently extend to food packaging except for takeout containers.

Poilievre claims the plastic ban will cost the economy $1.3 billion over the next decade, and the average family $400 annually.

Whereas  Poilievre could reverse the federal rules if elected, some jurisdictions like British Columbia and Montreal have their own bans and regulations in place for single-use plastics

Ottawa, Canada:

As Canada preps to elect a new government on April 28, the two parties that are leading the race – the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party – are in close contest. This is a parliamentary election, but the Canadian polls have some unique facts.

Here are the top 5 unusual and unique facts about the Canada Elections:

1. While all Canadian citizens are allowed to vote, what is unusual is that even hardened convicted criminals and those in prison are permitted to send their ballot. Usually, in other democracies, only those who are out on bail or are under trial are allowed to vote.
2. But there are two people in Canada who do not vote – the Chief Electoral Officer, who is in-charge of the entire electoral process, and is mandates to remain nonpartisan. Hence he/she is Constitutionally not permitted to vote during their 10-year term in office. The other person is allowed to vote, but chooses not to, as part of an age-old tradition while also preserving the political neutrality of their office. That person is the Governor-General of Canada, who holds the powers and responsibilities of King Charles – who is not just the monarch of the UK, but is also the monarch and head of state of Canada.
3. The number of constituencies in Canada has increased from 338 in 2021 to 343 in 2025 due to a rise in population. But what is interesting to note, is that there are three territories in Canada’s northernmost region which have only one seat each – meaning there is only 1 senator from each territory. These three territories are Northwest Territories, Nunavut (since 1999), and Yukon.
4. Most Canadians have been given a card in their mail, which indicate their polling booth, among other details. While this may be considered an ID to vote, a voter is not mandated to carry the voting card on the day of voting, though carrying it will make the process easier at the polling station.
5. The Prime Minister of Canada is not required to be a member of parliament. The current Prime Minister Mark Carney is an example of this. Mr Carney is a former banker from Canada’s Central Bank. He is not a sitting MP, meaning he does not hold a seat in the House of Commons. The 2025 elections are the first time that Mr Carney is contesting an election. Other former Prime Ministers of Canada who did not have a seat in the House of Commons were Charles Tupper, Arthur Meighen, and John Turner.

Ottawa : March 23, 2025 

 Today Prime Minister Mark Carney formally met with the Governor-General to dissolve the 44th parliament, bringing an end to the longest-running minority government in Canadian history. Canadians will head to the polls on April 28 

The date April 28  is the earliest possible day to send Canadians to the polls under the Elections Act, a day longer than the minimum 36 days required by law. 

At the time of dissolution, the Liberals held 153 seats, the Conservatives held 120, the Bloc Quebecois had 33 seats, the NDP had 24, the Green Party held 2 seats and there were three independents. 

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Carney will be running in a riding adjacent to his main rival, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, who is seeking re-election in Carleton.

The Liberal leader kicked off the campaign by announcing a middle-class tax cut while also vowing to strengthen Canada’s economy and standing up to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Poilievre too launched his campaign an hour before Carney addressed the media, saying he planned to restore the promise of Canada and tackle affordability issues.

The election comes at an opportune time for Carney’s Liberals, who – for the first time since 2022 – have surpassed the Conservatives in several polls.

OTTAWA — The Bank of Canada lowered its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point on Wednesday as the tariff battle with the United States starts to weigh on the Canadian economy.

The policy rate stands at 2.75 per cent after the central bank’s seventh consecutive rate cut.

The move was as expected by economists.

In its decision, the Bank of Canada acknowledged recent strength in the economy, but noted that the intensifying trade conflict is weighing on sentiment and activity.

“The pervailing uncertainty created by continuously changing U.S. tariff threats has shaken business and consumer confidence,” he said.

“The uncertainty alone is already causing harm.”

Macklem warned that the economic damage could be “severe,” depending on how steep tariffs are and how long they’re kept in place. He said that, if the dispute continues, growth in the second quarter of 2025 would take a hit.

The Bank of Canada’s latest interest rate announcement came alongside a supplemental survey of consumers and businesses specifically reacting to the spectre of tariffs from late January through February.

That data suggested that Canadians are planning to spend less as they worry about losing their jobs in the trade dispute, particularly in sectors like manufacturing that are vulnerable to tariffs.

Nearly half of businesses in the survey also suggested they’ll be ready to quickly pass on the higher costs tied to tariffs onto consumers, especially if they’re transparent with consumers about why prices are rising.

Inflation expectations are rising among both businesses and consumers, the Bank of Canada noted, a trend that can feed into inflation itself if left unchecked.

The Governor said the central bank will “proceed carefully” with future rate changes as it weighs both the drag on economic growth and upward pressures in prices tied to the trade war.

He said the Bank of Canada will use monetary policy to make sure the price shocks from tariffs don’t turn into a lasting bout of inflation.