Election 2025: Campaign Roundup - Day 16

Welcome to Day 16 of Canada Minute’s 2025 Campaign Roundup!

With the 2025 Canadian federal election now finally underway, we'll be bringing you daily updates on all the policy proclamations, platform promises, and political point-scoring from the campaign trail.

Campaign Roundup - Day 16:

• Liberal Leader Mark Carney announced temporary financial supports for retirees, including a 25% reduction in RRIF withdrawal requirements and a 5% boost to the Guaranteed Income Supplement, in response to US tariffs impacting global markets.
  
  
• Carney also pledged new national parks and protections for softwood lumber workers, aiming to appeal to Green and NDP voters. He also promised to make national parks and historic sites free for all Canadians this summer, aiming to encourage domestic tourism as US travel declines.
  
  
• Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has pledged to fast-track resource project approvals with a "one and done" system that limits wait times to one year, aiming to cut Liberal-era delays he blames on environmental ideology. He also promised to reduce Canada’s reliance on the US by exporting more energy overseas, arguing that current dependence leaves Canada vulnerable to American politics. Poilievre highlighted plans to revive stalled projects, including the LNG Canada expansion in BC.
  
  
• Poilievre’s Carleton riding now has 56 candidates on the ballot, after 51 mostly independent candidates were added at the last minute by the Longest Ballot Committee, a group protesting the first-past-the-post system. All but one of the new candidates share the same official agent, who says the tactic is meant to push for electoral reform. Critics argue the move could confuse voters and make voting more difficult, especially for those with accessibility needs.
  
  
• NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced a $16-billion housing plan that aims to build three million homes by 2030 through two programs: the Canadian Homes Transfer, which would reward cities that increase housing density and speed up permits, and the Communities First Fund, which would supports infrastructure expansion tied to rent control and encampment reduction. Singh said the plan would be funded by closing offshore corporate tax loopholes.