Poilievre pushes for national projects: Another bold vision or a desperate bid to stay relevant?

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre stirred the political waters at a federal news briefing on Monday(June 9), insisting that Canada should press ahead with major projects, such as a new oil pipeline to tidewater, even without unanimous agreement among provinces or stakeholders.

“We’ve got to get it done… we need a pipe,” Poilievre said on Parliament Hill.
“At the end of the day, if you wait until everybody agrees on everything, nothing will happen.”

Mark Carney’s new legislation

His remarks come in response to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s new legislation aimed at facilitating interprovincial trade, labour mobility, and expediting “national interest” projects.

Carney’s plan doesn't specify which projects it targets but emphasizes that any initiative moving forward must respect provincial consent.

Response from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith

That stance drew a sharp response from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who sees the bill as vital nation‑building, and from BC Premier David Eby, who rejected it, noting that the Trans Mountain Expansion already exists.

When asked if a federal override was appropriate when premiers clash, Poilievre replied simply: “No.” “You’re never going to get everybody to agree on every single project,” he said, urging a bold push for pipelines that grant Canada access to Pacific markets to diversify beyond reliance on the US.

Echoes of that urgency came from Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who criticized a two-decade drought in pipeline construction and plans to travel to Alberta “next week to promote pipelines.”

Nova Scotia’s Tim Houston likewise urged “cooperation,” but hinted that a nationwide majority should not be stifled by a single holdout.

For Canadians tired of deferred infrastructure and rising export revenues, Poilievre’s approach reads as a refreshingly straightforward solution.

But critics argue that bypassing provincial consent could escalate regional tensions, particularly in provinces with strong environmental mandates like BC.

Poilievre under trouble?

The stance comes amid turbulence within Poilievre’s ranks. Though he led the Conservatives to their highest popular vote in decades (41.3 percent) and 144 seats, the party still fell short of power, Liberal newcomer Mark Carney returned as the Prime Minister of Canada.

Adding insult to the injury, Poilievre lost his own Ottawa-area riding of Carleton to Liberal Bruce Fanjoy, a rare blow to a party leader.

He’s now poised to re-enter Parliament via a rural Alberta by-election later this summer in the safe Battle River–Crowfoot seat after MP Damien Kurek steps down.

By weathering these setbacks and standing firm on controversial national projects, Poilievre hopes to reshape his image from embattled populist to assertive nation-builder.