Friday January 9, 2026 | DUNCAN, BC [Posted at 1:56 pm PT | Updated 10:13 pm ]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre will be visiting the party faithful in Duncan tomorrow.
Poilievre has made several visits to Vancouver Island, both prior to and during the April 2025 election campaign.
After making many visits to ridings across the country in recent weeks and months, he will be back on Vancouver Island.
Poilievre was in Surrey earlier today to meet with Conservative supporters there.
Two local Conservative MPs:
The town hall on Saturday January 10 will be co-hosted by two local MPs: Jeff Kibble (Cowichan-Malahat-Langford) and Tamara Kronis (Nanaimo-Ladysmith). Organization for the meeting has evidently been underway for a few weeks.
A consistent theme of safety and affordability will likely be the focus of discussion with the audience after short speeches by Poilievre, Kibble and Kronis, as told to Island Social Trends today by Kibble.
The 2 pm town hall is being held at the Cowichan Exhibition building (Mellor Hall) at 7380 Trans Canada Highway.
Anyone wishing to attend must register (or RSVP on Jeff Kibble’s Facebook page).
“It’s a very tight trip,” says Kibble, noting that Poilievere will be in Nanaimo in the morning and then in Duncan for the 2 pm town hall. There won’t be time for Poilievre to tour the area.
Vancouver Island issues:
Kibble says that Poilievre is aware of local island issues including the Island Rail Corridor, closure of the softwood lumber mill in Crofton, and potential regulatory impacts on commercial and recreational salmon fishing on the south coast of BC — “all things that will impact our riding,” says the Cowichan-Malahat-Langford MP.
“Pierre supports me, and listens to me, and the purpose of the town hall is to be able to answer questions and listen to the challenges, issues and ideas that people across the riding and the south island are facing,” said Kibble today.
Kibble notes in particular the issue of drugs and crime being a huge issue in the Cowichan Valley area, where “dealers are caught with drugs and released within 24 hours”.
“The other really hot topic — understandably — is the cost of living. People can’t afford homes and can’t afford to rent places and subsequently are finding themselves homeless and being preyed on. And groceries are incredibly expensive,” says Kibble.
Work by Conservatives:
Kibble says the Conservatives put forward 23 private members bills during the first seven months in the 45th Parliament “to try and make positive changes” for Canadians.
“The Conservatives put forward a Canadian Sovereignty Bill that would cut industrial carbon tax and get pipelines built so we can start generating wealth and actually getting stuff done,” says Kibble who paraphrases Poilievre as saying “have government get out of the way and let Canadians get to work and start building homes and pipelines and let industry and capitalism do its things and return Canada to how we were 10 or 20 years ago”.
“We’re pushing for them (the Liberal government) to get rid of the industrial carbon tax that adds cost to fuel, steel and machinery and fertilizer that pushes up the cost of food,” says Kibble, who notes high grocery prices, particularly meat.
Kibble says that the Conservatives “have put forward many positive solutions to move the government forward — as it should be in a minority government”. Opposition motions “to change taxes or have pipelines built” is where the Conservatives have been trying things “as to what we see as positive solutions”, says Kibble.
The ridings:
Cowichan-Malahat-Langford includes the municipality of Langford as well as many communities up the east coast region including Mill Bay, Youbou, Cobble Hill and Duncan, as well as a chunk of the Juan de Fuca area (from Jordan River up to Port Renfrew).
It’s a large riding where Jeff Kibble has two constituency offices (one in Langford, and one in Duncan).
Nanaimo-Ladysmith includes the two municipalities in its name and encompasses a large part of the Cowichan Valley region.
Both ridings are within the south island region, Nanaimo more-so being central island. Both ridings have coastal areas and inland areas.
Both ridings were previously held by NDP MPs for several consecutive terms.
Leadership review:
The Conservative Party leadership review takes place January 29 to 31 in Calgary.
Poilievre’s review comes in the context of losing his seat in the 2025 federal election and losing three MPs in recent months (two due to floor-crossing to the Liberals and one leaving politics).
Poilievre has, of late, been offering more interviews to professional mainstream media than he did earlier last year including during and following the April 2025 election.
===== RELATED:
- Conservative Leader Poilievre to headline town hall in Duncan (January 6, 2026)
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