The carbon tax and gun laws were the focus of the federal Conservative leader during a stop in Saint John.

Pierre Poilievre is visiting several Atlantic Canadian communities over the coming days as part of a campaign-style tour.

That tour took him to west Saint John on Friday afternoon and the parking lot of Moosehead’s Small Batch Brewer.

“The way of life of Atlantic Canadians is under attack by this costly coalition of NDP and Liberals,” said Poilievre, who was joined by New Brunswick Southwest MP John Williamson and Southwest Miramichi MP Jake Stewart

Poilievre said the Liberal carbon tax is driving up the cost of home heating oil, gas, diesel, and all items that have to be shipped.

The government wants to “triple, triple, triple” that tax, he said, at a time when the cost of living continues to soar.

“He should cancel that tax and instead incentivize technology to fight climate change and protect our earth,” said Poilievre.

The Conservative leader also took aim at the Trudeau government’s plans to tighten gun control laws in Canada.

Critics say a Liberal amendment to Bill C-21 introduced last week would also ban additional shotguns, hunting rifles, and a number of long guns.

Poilievre said tightening gun control laws will unfairly target law-abiding hunters, not criminals.

“We know that 80 per cent of the guns used in crime actually come trafficked from the United States and are used by illegal gangsters and gunrunners,” he said.

“It is not the hunter in Grand Falls that is shooting up downtown Toronto. It is the gangster who does repeated offences and gets out through the revolving door.”

Poilievre said the Conservatives would reverse any bans on hunting rifles and shotguns and “respect the rural and hunting way of life.”