In this, the heart of Canada’s prairies, constituents in the riding of Portage—Lisgar are watching closely as their Member of Parliament, Branden Leslie, takes aim at a federal vehicle-policy change he says could ripple through households and local economies. With strong support at home, Leslie says the government’s move to mandate electric-vehicle sales risks ignoring realities in rural Canada, and he has launched efforts in Ottawa to redirect the conversation.

He notes the mandate put forward by the Liberal government requires 20 per cent of dealership sales to be electric-vehicles in the 2026 model year, and move toward 100 per cent by 2035.

“The idea of mandating it simply makes no sense.”

The MP adds Canadians make long, hard decisions about finances, vehicle size, and power, and t

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