Midweek of intense political scrutiny regarding the exclusive carbon pricing cut approved by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for home heating oil, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre is pushing for a "carbon tax election".

Poilievre said today, Wednesday, "We all know that we will not agree on the carbon tax. He wants to increase it, and I want to cancel it... so let's make a deal, let's temporarily stop the carbon tax on all home heating devices until Canadians go to the polls," "so that we can have an election about the carbon tax."

He continued, "Where Canadians will choose between his plan to quadruple the tax to 61 cents per liter on heating, gas, and groceries, and my logical plan to cancel the tax and bring prices home, that will be the choice in the carbon tax election, Justin Trudeau just has to decide when it will happen, but it will happen and the Canadians will decide."

Last week, Trudeau announced a three-year halt on the carbon tax for households using home heating oil, a move that will primarily help Atlantic Canadians get through the upcoming election, along with plans to double the pollution price rebate in rural areas. The energy increase rate, and introduce new incentives to make it accessible for those using heating oil to switch to heat pumps.

This retreat came amid strong internal party pressures and was met with strong national criticism from opposition parties and premiers whose voters largely will not feel any relief in living costs as a result of this targeted approach, one that the Liberals insist will not be expanded.

In a packed speech before his election rally, the official opposition leader painted a vivid and dramatic picture of the Prime Minister trembling in the corner of his office "in the fetal position" during Poilievre's tour in Atlantic Canada "Axe the Tax".

Poilievre is expected to present a non-binding motion in the House of Commons next week calling on all MPs to vote to extend the temporary pause on home heating oil for all Canadians, a move that pressures the NDP leader Jagmeet Singh to support it, given his shared criticism that the current policy focus is unfair.

He also revived his talking point "Canada is broken," where he read what had become a laundry list of ways he blames Trudeau for making life more expensive, unsafe, and unwelcome.

Poilievre said, "Canada was a beacon of hope. People around the world were rushing to our doors. And now, when they arrive, they look around and say: What happened to this place after eight years?", and who can blame them? Because after eight years of Justin Trudeau's rule, everything seems broken."

When asked on his way to a Liberal Party meeting whether he wanted to contest the next election on his pollution pricing program, Trudeau said he believes Canadians "are very concerned about the need to continue fighting climate change," while pointing out that the Liberal plan includes rebates that return money to the pockets of most Canadians more than the carbon tax collects.

Trudeau said, "Home heating oil is more expensive than other forms of heating, and it is disproportionately relied upon by low-income Canadians in rural areas across the country who need more support, that's what we are doing, and that's something I definitely believe in, and I will continue to unequivocally defend, while Mr. Poilievre has no plan to fight climate change and thus no plan for the economy."

In response to a question about his opinion on Poilievre's proposal for a carbon tax-focused election, Labour Minister Seamus O'Regan said he could consider "a million things and something that could happen from now until the next election, and it is too early to talk about that."

Labour Minister Randy Boissonnault, on his way to the same meeting, said, "I think this will be the fourth of its kind election. I know it will be the fourth election I participate in," "so, if Mr. Poilievre wants to run in the next election on this basis, I welcome him."