During the two leaders' debates on April 16 and 17, we noted a number of statements that we wanted to verify. We also confirmed or refuted some of their statements live. Here you will find more fact checks on economic issues, immigration, the environment, and foreign policy.

‍Some false statements made during the two debates

Bill C-69 blocked the adoption of energy projects

Contrary to what Pierre Poilievre claims, Bill C-69 is not responsible for the cancellation of several energy projects. Enacted in 2019, it specifies measures for assessing the environmental impact of energy projects.

However, several of the projects mentioned as examples by Mr. Poilievre were abandoned before that date:

- Those in the Alberta oil sands were abandoned in 2015 and 2016 due to economic uncertainty in the province.

- In British Columbia, the Pacific NorthWest natural gas project was abandoned in 2017 due to changes in the global market.

- The Energy East pipeline project, which was to transport oil from Alberta to Quebec, was abandoned in 2017 by TransCanada due to falling oil prices.

- The GNL Québec project, which would have built a natural gas liquefaction plant in Saguenay, was rejected by the Quebec government.

‍

Housing prices have doubled under the Liberals

During the debate, Pierre Poilievre claimed that rents have doubled since the Liberal Party came to power. According to Radio-Canada, which bases its figures on data provided by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, apartment rents averaged $939 per month when the Liberals came to power in October 2015.  By October 2024, they had reached $1,447 per month, a 54% increase nationwide. The Corporation uses the average price of a two-bedroom apartment to compare different rental markets across the country.

Bill C-11 censors the media

At a press conference, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre said he was the only one in favor of freedom of expression. He criticized Bill C-11, which he said would censor alternative media. In reality, however, the Online Streaming Protection Act does not censor the media. It is an update to the Canadian Broadcasting Act, which was passed in 1932.  It has been amended several times over the years to take into account the advent of new technologies, such as television and the Internet. The Online Streaming Act (formerly known as Bill C-11 before its adoption in 2023) took into account the emergence of online streaming platforms. However, the law only applies to online broadcasters generating revenues of $10 million or more. The law also does not affect the fundamental rights of Canadians, such as freedom of expression.

The carbon tax on consumers accounts for only 6% of greenhouse gas reductions

This claim was made by Mark Carney, who chose to withdraw this tax on April 1, while maintaining the tax on industry. However, he downplays the impact of the carbon tax on consumers, which accounts for between 8% and 9% of greenhouse gas emissions reductions, according to the Climate Institute. The majority of the emissions reduction would come from the industrial sector, under provincial and federal carbon pricing systems. By 2030, these policies will prevent 23% to 39% of GHG emissions, according to the Institute.

Iran participated in the October 7 attack in Israel

During the debate, Pierre Poilievre claimed that the October 7 attack launched by Hamas against Israel was financed by Iran. This is false. According to secret documents obtained by the NY Times, Hamas leaders wanted to convince Iran and Hezbollah to participate in the attack. However, they were unable to do so. The attack was originally planned for the fall of 2022, but was postponed by Hamas leaders, who wanted more time to convince their allies to participate. However, they were unsuccessful.

‍

And some statements that are true

Pierre Poilievre does not have security clearance

Liberal Party leader Mark Carney asked Pierre Poilievre why he did not have his security clearance. This claim is true. The issue arose in 2023, following the publication of the report by David Johnston, Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference. He recommended that the Prime Minister work with opposition leaders to ensure they obtain the necessary security clearance to read the entire report. “The issue before us is too important for someone who aspires to lead Canada to intentionally maintain a veil of ignorance on these matters,” Mr. Johnston wrote in his report. However, since the publication of this recommendation, Pierre Poilievre has consistently refused to take the necessary steps to obtain top-level security clearance, arguing that this would prevent him from speaking freely on the issues contained in the report.

Toronto police officer suggests citizens let their vehicles be stolen

During the debate, Pierre Poilievre argued that crime in Toronto was so high that the police were suggesting that citizens let their vehicles be stolen to avoid being harmed. This statement is true, although it needs to be qualified. During a city council meeting in the Etobicoke neighborhood, a police officer, Marco Ricciardi, suggested that residents leave their car keys near the door to prevent thieves from breaking in to get them. “To prevent the possibility of being attacked in your home, leave your fobs at your front door. Because they're breaking into your home to steal your car. They don't want anything else,” he said, arguing that criminals were using firearms. However, this was not an official position of the Toronto Police Service.

Poilievre has always voted against gun control

Mark Carney claimed that Pierre Poilievre voted against all legislation that proposed greater gun control during his years as a member of Parliament. This is true. In 2011, Pierre Poilievre voted in favor of the Long Gun Registry Abolition Act. In 2023, the Liberal government introduced Bill C-21: Protecting Canadians from Gun Crimes, which includes a freeze on handguns and suggests other measures to control gun sales. All Conservative MPs voted against the bill, which was ultimately passed.

Brookfield evicted tenants

Jagmeet Singh argued that Brookfield, of which Mark Carney was president until recently, was responsible for evicting vulnerable tenants. This claim appears to be true. According to the Journal de Montréal, tenants of a building owned by Brookfield in San Francisco's poorest neighborhood received excessive rent increases while the condition of the building deteriorated. The company allegedly tried to encourage them to leave so that it could renovate the apartments and then rent them out at higher rates. When tenants resisted, the company reportedly issued eviction notices to force them out.

Abolishing the capital gains tax increase that benefits the wealthiest

Jagmeet Singh accused outgoing Prime Minister Mark Carney of favoring the wealthy by abandoning the capital gains tax increase. That's true. In March, Mark Carney canceled this measure, which was set to take effect on June 25. The increase would have imposed higher taxes on all businesses and individuals reporting more than $250,000 in capital gains in a year. “By cancelling the capital gains tax increase, we will catalyze investment in our communities and encourage builders, innovators and entrepreneurs to grow their businesses in Canada, creating more well-paying jobs,” Mr. Carney said at the time.

Abolition of the carbon tax: Quebecers penalized

According to Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet, Mark Carney's promise to compensate Canadians for the abolition of the carbon tax is detrimental to Quebecers. The Canadian Carbon Rebate (CCR) for individuals was granted to Canadian citizens through the carbon tax levied at gas stations. However, this tax did not apply in Quebec, which had its own carbon market with California. Despite abolishing the carbon tax, Mark Carney has chosen to maintain the last payment of the rebate, which will be financed through public funds. This measure will cost approximately $3.75 billion, of which Quebecers will contribute $814 million due to their demographic weight, according to calculations by Le Journal de Québec.

A way to circumvent the Safe Third Country Agreement

Under the Safe Third Country Agreement, asylum seekers are required to apply in the first safe country they arrive in, unless they are covered by an exception provided for in the Agreement. Currently, the agreement applies to asylum seekers seeking to enter Canada from the United States if they apply for asylum within 14 days of entering Canada. A person who crosses the border illegally and applies 14 days later can therefore effectively circumvent the agreement.

The Canadian population has grown much faster than the supply of housing

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has said that Canada has welcomed three times more immigrants than it has built homes. According to a study published by the National Bank of Canada, Canada's population grew by 1.2 million in 2023. This increase includes 360,000 births. At the same time, according to the study, the housing supply deficit reached a record high, with only one housing unit started for every 4.2 people entering the working-age population.

‍

‍

Finally, a few statements that need to be qualified

‍On protecting the right to abortion

Pierre Poilievre asserts that the right to abortion would not be questioned under his government. In reality, this statement needs to be qualified. The Conservative Party's policy statement acknowledges that “its members have deeply held personal convictions that may differ” and that its members of Parliament are therefore free to vote on “moral” issues such as abortion. Over the years, several Conservative MPs have attempted to overturn abortion rights. According to the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, 48 bills and motions have been introduced in Parliament since 1987 to abolish abortion rights. The most recent is Arnold Viersen, who in 2024 tabled a petition in the House of Commons urging the government to pass legislation to protect the rights of fetuses.‍

Poilievre: save $100,000 on the purchase of a home

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre says his promise to abolish the sales tax on new homes will save buyers up to $100,000 on the purchase of a home. However, the calculation is based on an incentive that would encourage municipalities to reduce construction taxes. Cities would still be free to act as they see fit, since this is not a federal government power. In addition, the $100,000 savings is calculated for the cities of Toronto and Vancouver, where real estate prices are the highest in Canada. The savings would therefore be lower in other Canadian cities.

On the NDP's promise of better health care

Jagmeet Singh is promising better health care. However, this promise will be difficult to keep, as it does not depend on the federal government. In practical terms, health care administration is the responsibility of the provinces and territories. The federal government does not have the power to dictate how provincial governments spend their money. Previously, the NDP promised to “encourage” the provinces to speed up the accreditation of foreign-trained nurses, in addition to “actively recruiting” qualified personnel from the United States. In Quebec, however, it is the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (Quebec Order of Nurses) that has the authority to recognize equivalency of diplomas and grant the right to practice.

To be proven: UNRWA employees allegedly participated in the attacks of October 7, 2023

Pierre Poilievre claimed that employees of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) participated in the October 7, 2023 attack against Israel. This claim was made by the Israeli army, which alleged that employees of the organization were members of Hamas. After an investigation, the United Nations dismissed nine employees. However, the organization emphasized that there was no evidence of any alliance between UNRWA and Hamas. It also stated that Israel had been unable to substantiate its claims. According to the BBC, UNRWA employed nearly 13,000 people in the region in October 2024.

Six houses built by Poilievre

During the leaders' debates, Jagmeet Singh argued that when Mr. Poilievre was Minister of Housing, only six houses had been built. In 2015, Pierre Poilievre was Minister of Human Resources and Social Development. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, for which he was responsible, did indeed build six non-profit housing units in 2015, according to Radio-Canada. However, when including non-profit housing built by other organizations with federal government funding, the total rises to 3,700 units.

Pierre Poilievre would cut health care

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has accused Pierre Poilievre of wanting to cut health care budgets. However, there is currently nothing in the party's platform to support this accusation. Mr. Poilievre has nevertheless voted several times for health care budget cuts. In 2012, for example, he voted in favor of a $43.5 billion reduction in transfers to the provinces and territories for health care under the Stephen Harper government. He also opposed the Canada Dental Care Plan, which came into effect last year.

The Liberals are responsible for inflation

According to Pierre Poilievre, the Liberal Party is responsible for an unprecedented rise in inflation in Canada. In reality, however, this claim needs to be qualified in several ways. Since 2015, inflation in Canada has been fairly stable, at around 2 % per year. The three years with the highest inflation were 2022, with a rate of 6.8%, 2023, with a rate of 3.8%, and 2021, with a rate of 3.4%. This was after the global COVID-19 pandemic, a factor over which the government had little control. By comparison, inflation rates in the United States for these three years were 8%, 4.7% and 4.1% (data from Statista).

‍