Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre addressed a business audience in Toronto on Friday, shifting the focus back to cost-of-living issues following a tumultuous week in Ottawa. The week was marked by a floor-crossing, a resignation, and a failed attempt to topple the government. "We should be the richest country on planet earth and that should be our goal," Poilievre stated during his speech at the Economic Club of Canada. He criticized Prime Minister Mark Carney's recent federal budget, attributing Canada's rising cost of living to the Liberal government. Poilievre's remarks came just days after Carney's government unveiled its budget plan on Tuesday. He claimed, "This week’s budget showed that investment has collapsed in all three fiscal quarters for which he has been prime minister," and noted a deficit of $78 billion, which he said is $16 billion higher than what Carney promised during the election campaign. The budget announcement was overshadowed by political drama. Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont confirmed his resignation from the Conservative caucus shortly after the budget was tabled, joining the governing Liberals. Additionally, Conservative MP Matt Jeneroux announced plans to resign from Parliament and was reportedly considering switching to the Liberals. In his speech, Poilievre sought to redirect attention to the Liberal government's record. He emphasized that Canada possesses abundant resources, including uranium, potash, and a long coastline, which should contribute to a high quality of living. "We have the most resources in the world, but we can’t get them to markets," he said, pointing out that the government is responsible for the lack of pipelines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) plans. "Government makes it next to impossible to get anything built," he added. He warned that the next five years could be the most costly in Canadian history if current spending trends continue. Poilievre attributed rising home and food prices to increased government spending, stating that the planned expenditures would ultimately come from Canadians' pockets. To address the deficit, he proposed cutting bureaucracy and implementing a dollar-for-dollar law, which would require equal savings for every dollar of new spending. He also suggested eliminating various taxes, including hidden food taxes and the capital gains tax on reinvestments in Canada. "(The Carney Liberals) believe in adding new obstacles for all of you and then asking you to go to them and ask for a handout to help you get over those same obstacles," Poilievre said. He quoted Ronald Reagan, saying, "If a liberal sees something that moves, they tax it. If it keeps moving, they regulate it. And when it stops moving, they subsidize it." Poilievre also criticized Carney's handling of relations with the United States, particularly regarding President Donald Trump, who recently ended negotiations between Canada and the U.S. after an anti-tariff advertisement used Reagan's voice. "It was wrong for Mr. Carney to claim that he would handle the president, and I think we can all agree that it’s been very much the reverse since he took office," he remarked. He concluded by stating that if he were to negotiate a deal with the U.S., he would offer a greater military presence to alleviate American defense responsibilities, ensuring security for both nations while enhancing trade with Canada.