OTTAWA — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced he intends to engage with American lawmakers to advocate for Canada at the right moment. His comments were made during a podcast episode that aired Thursday, as he prepares to return to the House of Commons next month following a byelection victory in rural Alberta.

"At some point, at the appropriate time, we will be engaging with American lawmakers to make the case for Canada and to make the case for the North American relationship," Poilievre stated on The Elev8 Podcast, which focuses on Canadian politics.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has been working to negotiate with U.S. President Donald Trump to reduce or eliminate tariffs on Canadian goods. This effort has been a significant focus during Carney's first four months in office, following his election victory in April. Poilievre has concentrated on issues like the cost of living and crime, which has raised concerns within his party about his ability to pivot to the Canada-U.S. relationship.

Before the campaign, Poilievre chose not to publicly support the “Team Canada” approach that former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau advocated for in dealing with the U.S. Conservative caucus members have largely avoided discussing Trump. However, Poilievre has expressed a willingness to collaborate with Carney’s government to secure a favorable deal for Canada, although he has not received a response to his offers for assistance.

A spokesperson for Poilievre's office did not clarify how the Conservatives would determine the "appropriate time" to engage with American lawmakers. The spokesperson reiterated that Poilievre and his critic for Canada-U.S. relations have reached out multiple times to offer help in negotiations with the U.S. government, but their invitation has not yet been accepted.

"While it is normal for Opposition leaders and critics to maintain relationships with their U.S. counterparts, we believe negotiations should be conducted along one official channel," the spokesperson said. "Conservatives remain ready to assist in securing the best deal for Canada. We will always put Canada first."

The office of Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who is leading negotiations with Trump officials, has not yet responded to requests for comment. LeBlanc recently returned from a meeting in Washington with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, which he described as "constructive." The two met for 90 minutes, longer than initially planned, and agreed to keep the details of their discussions private.

During the podcast, Poilievre emphasized that discussions with American officials should occur on a "lawmaker-to-lawmaker" and "executive-to-executive" basis. He stated, "I would not meet the executive branch, officially, of a foreign country without at least seeking some sort of cooperation with the government. Otherwise, the risk is that you’re trying to create a dual negotiating track, and I don’t think that is good for the country."

Poilievre referenced former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's meeting with former President Ronald Reagan in 1984, noting that Mulroney had the "blessing" of then-Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau and that Canada’s ambassador to Washington was present during those discussions.

Regarding his interactions with U.S. lawmakers, Poilievre's office highlighted his informal conversations with Republican Rep. Pete Sessions and other American politicians during their visits to Canada.