By Pepper Parr
May 31st, 2026
BURLINGTON ON
From the Leader of the Opposition, Pierre Poilievre, to the Prime Minister,
On Friday, you became the only leader in the G7 to have taken your country into a recession. Statistics Canada reported that Canada’s economy shrank in two consecutive quarters, the definition of a recession.
You promised you would deliver the fastest-growing economy in the G7. You delivered the only recession in the G7.
Excuses about tariffs and the war in Iran do not work either. All the other G7 countries contend with tariffs and the war. None of them – not one – is in recession. Just Canada. Under your watch.
Before you dismiss it as a technicality, there are many other facts surfacing this month alone pointing to a recession:
112,300 job losses in the first three months of this year alone, with 45,800 more Canadians unemployed since you became Prime Minister. - The second-highest unemployment rate in the G7, a third higher than in the U.S.
- The economy shrank in three of the four quarters you have been in power. No other G7 country has had that happen.
- Business investment fell another 0.7%, the fifth consecutive quarterly decline.
- Over $20 billion of net investment has fled our economy ($109.3 billion has left and only $88.4 billion has returned).
- Equifax reported that insolvency volumes increased to levels not seen since 2009, up nearly 19 per cent year-over-year. 1.5 million Canadians missed a debt payment in the first three months of this year alone, with mortgage delinquency rates climbing 32 per cent year-over-year.
- Canada has the highest household debt in the G7 by far.
- The CEO of the Daily Bread Food Bank in Toronto said this week that one-tenth of Greater Toronto Area residents are now using a food bank. Last year saw a record 4.1 million visits, a 340 per cent increase from 2019.
As you can see, the two back-to-back quarters of declining GDP are not a fluke, anomaly or technicality. It is one of an avalanche of proof showing a collapsing economy with fast-rising costs.
The recession is real. It means moms with empty stomachs, grocery baskets and bank accounts. It means homeowners tossing and turning in bed at night, wondering how they will make the next mortgage payment. It means parents telling their kids, “We have to sell our house. I don’t know what we’re going to do.”
Speeches, fake MOUs, discussion papers, announcements, paid media coverage and other illusions will not reverse the damage or stop the economic hemorrhaging. You need to reverse course. Now. Before it is too late.
You love to give speeches. I am inviting you to give one.
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Dennis
Exactly. I suggest that the Editor request Ray Rivers to do a line-by-line rebuttal to correct the obvious gross inaccuracies and misinformation.
Ted
Editor’s note: Rivers writes an opinion column.
You don’t have to agree with him but surely you will agree that he has a right to say what he thinks.
You certainly want us to agree that you have that right.
What is the source of this ‘letter’? Similar content, featuring leaders expressing deepfake messages is everywhere, so is this actually real?
Editor’s note: It is believed to be real.
Pragmatcally without being political as to who made the comments, they deserve a response.
With the unease among Canadians and the cost of living , including all relevant aspects that attribute to it, the Federal Gov’t should respond.
I will go one step further and ask what are the Premiers of the Provinces and Territories doing to address this situation.
If each level of government is just going to point fingers justified or not, all related Canadian Govts have a shared responsibility and accountability in respond to these comments without pointing fingers which gets Canadians absolutely nowhere which is always the case when rhetoric flows from their mouths.
Look at the total pie not just part of it if you want a comprehensive practical and pragmatic solution.
One thing I definitely fail to like about our democracy in Canada, is the opposition parties that through mud (comments) without putting forth comprehensive possible solutions that brings forth a comprehensive debate so that the electorate can assess which party has a stronger argument.
Each side should put forth both expenditure(s) to correct and source of revenue(s) to source correct.
I also absolutely can’t tolerate when any party in opposition saying that they can’t disclose or have to fully disclose of their postion because they are not the party in power. Bull.S…!!
We are the electorate and all Canadians and we deserve from our elected officials a comprehensive debate without immature rhetoric to know that the decisions made today are hopefully the right one for Canadians moving forward. Opposition parties waiting to keep they powder dry on full position for next election does absolutely nothing for Canadians relating to problems of today and correcive solutions for the visible future.
All political parties have a responsibility to Canadians today requiring requiring full disclosure on a position regarding any issue being debated in Government today. If they are not willng to do that they are putting. political career a a priority ahead of Canadians and Canada. Not a party I want to see in power!!!
Norman
Lots of Lberal Rhetoric, need action not words.