Business titans take out ad backing Poilievre, Conservatives

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Pierre Poilievre received a huge boost from some of Canada’s top business titans on Saturday.

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The Friends of Free Enterprise in Canada, a group of 33 current and former company presidents and CEOs such as the “Canadian Warren Buffett” Prem Watsa, of Fairfax Financial, and Paul Godfrey, past president of the Toronto Sun and Toronto Blue Jays, took out a newspaper ad endorsing Poilievre and the Conservative Party in the upcoming federal election.

“Our country stands at a crossroads – and the decisions we make now will shape the future of Canada for generations to come,” the business leaders wrote.

In choosing to back Poilievre, the entrepreneurs said Canada is an exceptional country that is full of talented people, has strong values, and an abundance of natural resources.

“Yet in recent years, we’ve faced real challenges,” they said. “Productivity has stalled. Economic growth has slowed. Our GDP (gross domestic product) per capita is shrinking.”

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However, they feel this decline is “not inevitable” because Canada already has all the resources it needs to thrive.

“To do so, we must embrace the principles that have always led to prosperity: free enterprise, disciplined government, and the courage to invest in our future.”

Members of the group, who also include Mattamy Homes Chairman and CEO Peter Gilgan and property developer Howard Sokolowski, say the country’s next prime minister needs to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation so that businesses can grow, eliminate barriers such as red tape and outdated regulations, and develop natural resources like building oil and gas pipelines, expand mining and invest in energy projects.

They would also like to see responsible and sustainable government spending, and reform the current tax system so that Canada can become a more competitive market and attract talent from around the world.

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“Canada’s challenges are real, but so is our potential,” they said.

“We have spent our careers investing in this country because we believe in it. We believe in the resilience of our people, the strength of our institutions, and the power of free markets to lift everyone.”

The investors say Poilievre and the Conservatives are the best option come election day.

“They have a clear plan to address these issues and to get Canada back on track,” they said. “It’s because of President (Donald) Trump’s threats that Pierre’s plan makes so much sense. We hope you will join us in supporting the Conservative Party.”

Poilievre is promising to cut taxes, build new homes, lower costs, boost natural resource output, and grow business opportunities.

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