Poilievre skirts issue of how Conservatives might deal with capital gains tax changes

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is telling business leaders to fight their own battles when it comes to the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation.

But even as he characterizes their plan as an «attack,» his office is keeping tight-lipped about whether or not his party will vote in favour of it.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland introduced legislation last week to implement the most recent federal budget that did not include one of its marquee announcements.

Instead, the government is expected to table a stand-alone bill to update the tax system so the wealthiest Canadians and businesses pay taxes on a greater share of their profits.

That means each party will have to stake out a clear position by voting yes or no.

Public opinion polls show younger Canadians increasingly support the Conservatives — a trend Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has long relied on voters under 40, is hoping to reverse.

Last month's budget focused heavily on tackling housing affordability. Freeland and Trudeau framed the spending plan as being about «generational fairness.»

Poilievre has said the Conservatives will vote against the budget.

But as he pitches himself as a champion of the working class and the one who best understands cost-of-living anxieties, will he support measures that the government says would only affect the very richest Canadians?

His office won't say.

«Common sense Conservatives will vote against Justin Trudeau's inflationary budget,» spokesman Sebastian Skamski said in a statement to The Canadian Press.

«The legislation you are asking about doesn't exist yet due to Justin Trudeau's incompetence, so it's impossible for us to weigh in on the matter.»

Poilievre hints at policy in opinion piece

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