The National Post reports in its Friday, Aug. 15, edition that Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized the Liberal government's electric vehicle sales mandate, calling it an attack on rural life and promising a nationwide campaign to scrap it. The Post's Christopher Nardi writes that Mr. Poilievre, speaking in Saskatchewan during his byelection campaign, condemned the EV mandate, which requires all vehicle sales in Canada to be zero-emission by 2035, as detrimental to farmers and rural Canadians. The mandate set incremental targets beginning with an EV sales target of 20 per cent by 2026, before increasing to 30 per cent by 2030. Mr. Poilievre went so far as saying that the mandate would "eliminate rural communities" in Canada. The Conservatives have long opposed the Liberals' EV mandate, but Mr. Poilievre said Thursday that the party would be increasing the pressure on the government through a "massive nationwide campaign." In a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney, first reported by National Post, the chief executive officers of the Canadian divisions of Ford, General Motors, Honda, Stellantis and Toyota warned the mandate would inflict "serious damages" to the industry.