Tories vote against capital gains tax

Poilievre calls hike a 'job-killing tax' as Liberals say Conservative leader is defending wealthy

- MARK RAMZY, STEPHANIE LEVITZ

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says the Liberals' capital gain tax will "will drive billions of dollars of machines, technology, business and paycheques out of our country."

Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives voted against the Trudeau government’s move to increase the capital gains tax Tuesday, breaking their silence after weeks of questions and an attempt by the Liberals to put their chief rivals’ anti-elite messaging to the test.

But the Conservatives quickly moved to control the narrative, framing the increase as a “job-killing tax” while proposing alternative changes to Canada’s tax system that they claimed has not worked under Justin Trudeau’s leadership.

Poilievre argued the changes “will drive billions of dollars of machines, technology, business and paycheques out of our country” while giving billionaires an opportunity to “sell their investments and move their money abroad to pay lower taxes,” leaving poor and middle-class Canadians bearing the burden.