'The fun is over': Ambrose tells Trudeau to 'get serious' on economy

Interim Opposition leader Rona Ambrose dismissed what she called Justin Trudeau's "year of fun," saying the prime minister needs to get back to the House of Commons and change his priorities in the face of new threats from the Trump administration.

In her opening remarks to a gathering of her Conservative caucus in Quebec City Thursday, Ambrose tried to inject a new urgency into issuesshe's prioritized for her party since taking the reins fromStephen Harperin 2015.

"Life is already expensive enough," she said, describing how young Canadians now face a "lifetime of higher taxes" as well as higher heating bills, grocery bills and mortgage costs thanks to Liberal government decisions so far.

"But that's what JustinTrudeau'syear of fun got us."

The prime minister has used Parliament's winter break for a campaign-style tour and town hall events, saying he wants to hear concerns directly from Canadians.

But Conservatives portray the prime minister as all selfie and no substance.

"He sure travelled a lot," Ambrose said. "He did lots of photo-ops ...It sure looked like fun."

"But now the fun is over," she said. "It's time to get serious. It's time to get to work."

Talking to Americans

Donald Trump's presidency doesn't bode well for Canadian jobs or economic competitiveness, she said. "He's talking about big tax cuts and potentially new trade barriers."

"We need our own plan," Ambrose said. "Merely reacting to Trump is not enough."

Ambrose and other Conservatives have been part of a broad effort to reach out to Americans in recent weeks, leveraging their former government connections and in Ambrose's case, travelling to Washington last week to pitch in on the lobbying effort, targetingRepublican members of Congress with whom Conservatives have ties.

"I believe we had a real impact in making sure Canadian natural resources, specifically Canada's proud oil and gas sector, were top of mind for the new administration," she said, welcoming Wednesday's revival of the Keystone XL pipeline project.

"I think it's very important that we build bridges with American companies that rely on Canadian exports," leadership candidate and MP AndrewScheertold reporters. "That's what I think Donald Trump will understand."

Quebec MP Grard Deltell told reporters that Trudeau had failed to translate his stronger relationship with Barack Obama into a solution onthe softwood lumber dispute.

"We're in a different world. There's no question about that," MP Tony Clement said Thursday morning. "Very clearly President Trump is interpreting his mandate as primarily an economic one for America."

"Tome this doesn't have to be a partisan issue. We should be here for Canada," the former cabinet ministersaid. "But if Mr. Trudeau fails to protectCanadian interests then we'll have something to say about that."

Flood of Mexican refugees feared

"Knowing what the Americans are going to do on taxes, we would not be implementing a carbon tax," leadership candidate Lisa Raitt said.

She also expressed concern about the Trudeau government's decision to lift a visa requirement for Mexican travellers, something that could lead to an increase in refugee claimants from Mexico.

"As the world moves forward to react to how Mr. Trump is implementing his policies, you've got to be sharp and nimble," she cautioned.

Collaboration oncommon goals may be even less apparent when Parliament returns on Monday.

Ambrose took a dig at Trudeau's past absence from question period "58 per cent of the time."

And she previewed futureattacks from the Opposition bench: that Trudeau thinks ethics rules don't apply to him and he's running a government characterized by arrogance and a sense of entitlement.

Leadership jockeying on margins

Putting the Conservative caucus strategy session in Quebec City was deliberate.

To return to power, the party must keep growing beyond the dozen seats they won in the city and across the North Shore in 2015.

On Thursday, Conservative MPs and senators took part in a panel discussion with authors of the bookLe coeur des Qubcois,which describes how the political landscape in the province is changing from a federalist versus sovereigntist dynamic into one withmore of a right-wing versus left-wing ideological split.

Understanding and leveraging that trendis among the party's goals.

So is staying united, despite the huddled strategizing of various leadership campsapparent in the hallways. Roughly a third of the caucus has not yet endorsed a preferred candidate. Only the nine candidates who are current MPsare present at the retreat.

• Analysis: What MPs' endorsements say about the Conservative race

Maxime Bernier said he's running a "positive" campaign based on ideas and he doesn't mind a passionate debate.

But deputy leader Denis Lebelstarted Thursday's proceedings with a reminder that whatever differences emerge in the race, after the new leader is picked in Mayeveryone has to work together on the same team.

"It's not by attacking ourselves that we will gain points," he said.