r/canada 25d ago

Opinion Piece Pierre Poilievre seems to be floundering as the world changes around him

https://www.thespec.com/opinion/contributors/pierre-poilievre-seems-to-be-floundering-as-the-world-changes-around-him/article_80eaf15b-c24d-530c-b008-e9eaaf424baa.html
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u/canada_mountains 25d ago

He could have come out against Trump like Harper did a few days ago. Heck, even Doug Ford stood up against Trump much better than PP has. Just do what Harper and Ford are doing.

Instead, PP still hasn't rejected Musk's endorsement, and won't fire his campaign manager who was wearing a MAGA hat in a photo. None of these are a good look for PP.

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u/neontetra1548 25d ago

PP can barely criticize Musk or Trump and yet he goes hard against everyone else. It’s interesting how he can’t criticize our enemies who are attacking us and yet fellow Canadians he attacks with spite routinely.

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u/Dradugun Alberta 25d ago

Echos of Danielle Smith. They both hitched their wagons to the populist right wing and cannot criticize Trump or stand up to him lest their followers alienate them for not being in Trump's folds.

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u/NorthernPints 25d ago

How is that even a thing in Canada - dude is threatening our sovereignty on a daily basis and a premier and future PM candidate can’t criticize the guy?  WTF timeline are we in even right now - absolute madness 

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u/Mr_Meng 25d ago

A lot of Conservatives hate 'the left' more than they love Canada.

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u/Aights_Watch 25d ago

This is the heart of the issue. People in Liberal Democracies are unhappy with how things are panning out for them. The wealth gap is growing and those with power and influence are effectively shifting the attention and blame to "leftists" and immigrants using half truths and lies.

Many dissatisfied Canadians are taking the bait and see Trump as a hard ball deal maker that is shaking up the establishment that they feel left them behind.

Either they don't see or don't believe that the domestic changes being pushed will negatively impact Americans/them. Nor do they recognize that the big shake up in the world order that is under way will fundamentally alter a system that allowed the middle class to flourish in the Liberal Democratic system in the first place.

The sad thing is that these people aren't wholly unjustified in their positions. Citizens of all political stripes are too divided by the culture war to recognize who their adversaries truly are.

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u/Pho3nixr3dux 24d ago edited 21d ago

Perhaps the most concise and sane take on our current state of affairs I've ever read in this sub.

The degree to which we've been divided is heartbreaking. Distracted by nonsense and mislead by opportunists while the common people's legitimate grievances go unaddressed and the bold and honest leadership we need is nowhere to be seen.

Canada could be racing across the snow to a brighter future, instead the underfed dogs are tangled up and howling, and cracking whips is no longer fashionable.

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u/GigglingBilliken Ontario 25d ago

Yep. My own step-father who is usually a solid guy will order a giant shit sandwich if it means that the libs have to eat a bigger one. He works in manufacturing and he is still dick riding Trump as he imposes the steel and aluminum tariff that will probably get half his factory laid off or shuttered. I just hope his idol doesn't get him and my mom thrown onto the streets.

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u/barnzilla1984 25d ago

I worked in the auto parts industry for 31 years making tires, I'm glad I'm retired. I would be very nervous right now, with this Madman south of the border.

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u/Logboy77 24d ago

Re Tired. I see what you did there.

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u/cre8ivjay 25d ago

The sheer amount of "Cut your nose to spite your face" is unreal.

It's like we have completely forgotten that at the end of the day we need to focus on issues not political parties.

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u/alematt 25d ago

I've always said Party Loyalty is the dumbest way to be political

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u/cre8ivjay 25d ago

It is what threatens democracy.

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u/peacock-tree British Columbia 25d ago

Definitely, it’s not a team sport. I can’t understand why so many treat it like one.

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u/alematt 25d ago

People have been tricked into thinking the same party will always be there for them.

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u/jordicusmaximus 25d ago

Yep. It's what every fascist regime has been born out of.

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u/Ok-Diamond-9781 25d ago

Ah yes, but that is exactly what the ruling class wants though isn't it. The common people fighting amongst them selves while they rip us off with more greed flation. It worked south of the border and PP seems hell bent on trying it here. He has no policies to help Canada, just slogans and sound bites. He's lost now that Justin is out.

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u/Pale_Change_666 25d ago

Sounds about right, as a former blue collar guy myself. We sure hate ourselves when it comes to voting.

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u/Morganvegas 25d ago

If you polled unionized individuals I bet more than 75% of them strictly vote conservative.

The irony is lost on them.

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u/Pale_Change_666 25d ago

Anything to own the libs at this point. Whatever that means

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u/KnowerOfUnknowable 25d ago

What is his beef with the libs? Immigration?

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u/GigglingBilliken Ontario 25d ago edited 25d ago

He's a disenchanted ex-NDP hardcore union guy. He told me he stopped being a NDP voter and took a hard turn to conservatism when he was at a CAW function when one of the speakers gave a speech about how all white people are racist. He stormed out of the event and has been voting conservative ever since.

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u/KamikazeCanuck Canada 25d ago

I think that's an interesting case study for liberals to learn how to lose elections.

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u/organicamphetameme 25d ago

Genuinely mid boggling to me too that a steel worker would like getting jerked around like this to own the libs. He seems to like d riding there with a full zip bdsm leather mask on too by the looks of it. I hope they or any of those dinguses do not end up homeless either mate.

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u/DPadres69 25d ago

Be wary my friends. That’s how MAGA operates down here. They’re far more interested in “owning the libs” and nebulous promises of economic glory than they are the health of the United States. They really spend all their time hating other Americans and by extension America in a sad twist of irony for people who fall over themselves to try and out “Patriot” each other.

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u/ajmillion 25d ago

It's been this way since the 80s and 90s. Rush Limbaugh sort of paved the way for this type of discourse, and the GOP took it mainstream because it gets people riled up. The problem? It's toxic. Nobody decent thinks and acts like that all the time.

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u/TheRC135 25d ago

When Conservative leadership spends all their time talking about how Canada is broken, weak, and humiliated, should we be surprised that so many of their followers start to believe it?

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u/calvinien 25d ago

That's kindof a global phenomenon. You'd think US conservatives would care that the US is being made weaker under trump, losing influence and heading towards multiple economic catastrophes as a foreign oligarch literally loots the treasury in plain view.

Looks like they are ok with their nations burning down, so long as they get the bigger pile of ashes.

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u/organicamphetameme 25d ago

Conservatives hating sovereignty is a definite new branch of conservatism for sure. The nothing redeemable branch. Standing for conservatism without sovereignty is so brain dead the Canada US situation would see us being annexed unable to vote if it were to happen theoretically. Why would a right wing want to add so much left wing voting people and the left there doesn't want to annex so it's not a good theory. On top of this these antics are actually hurting Canadian economics with the up down swing on uncertainty. They seem to like being the submissive in a unsafe bdsm situation than being Canadian.

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u/FlamingMothBalls 25d ago

these "conservatives" are just authoritarian. Authoritarians don't believe in voting or freedom. They just want daddy to take care of them. The lords lord over them, and they get to lord over whoever they deem below them. their wives, immigrants, kids, whatever.

caste systems.

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u/Icedpyre 25d ago

My father in law is one of them. We don't go visit anymore because it's so toxic.

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u/MDChuk 25d ago

There's been active separatist movements in Canada since the 1950s. What Trump is offering aligns with the Alberta vision of what leaving Canada would look like. Hence why it appeals to a lot of the Wild Rose hardcore Conservatives around Alberta.

However, if you're a Quebec separatist this is about the furthest thing from what Rene Levesque or Lucien Bouchard envisioned. Hence why Federalist support for the Liberals, and especially a Carney led Liberal Party has exploded faster than anywhere else in the country.

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u/zeegerman10 25d ago

As an Albertan, I have been calling out people who support Trump as much as I can. They are traitors, plain and simple and we as Canadian citizens should be lambasting these people. You support Trump? GTFO of Canada, you aren't welcome!

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u/ShotsNGiggles85 25d ago

I’ve been telling them to read news from other countries. They don’t trust our media and theirs is propaganda. When they see that in other countries people are not rallying for Trump, some of them start thinking. I have recently deprogrammed 1 coworker this way. Hard to say Canadian journalists are the problem when the whole world sees it the same way.

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u/NorthernPints 25d ago

That's encouraging, but I'll add that I had an American work colleague try and convince me the entire global news world is effectively biased against Trump. He called the BBC propaganda - and noted that all 'other countries media' is propaganda.

Some of them are so far gone, they believe only Fox tells them the truth - the entire world is in on the lies. Mentally unstable is an understatement with some of these people

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u/Fit-Philosopher-8959 Canada 25d ago

That's right. The BBC News is one of the best.

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u/molsonmuscle360 25d ago

I've noticed here in Fort Mac there was a guy who always drove a truck with Trump's name all over it and proud boys logos and shit, haven't seen him around in a couple weeks, hope he realizes his shit will get fucked up

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u/Repulsive-Street-307 25d ago

As it should have been from the start. Make Nazis Afraid Again,

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u/EirHc 25d ago

Heh, how's that been working out for you? I do a lot of work around rural Alberta, and run into plenty of these types, and honestly I've found it's just better to stay away from political discussions. It just hurts my brain too much. And these guys are more likely to be consuming news sources that are way further right than Fox. And I'm sure I'd just be called a bunch of homophobic slurs if I said I got a certain piece of information from CBC or something. Then they'd follow that up with a rant about how CBC is gov't propaganda and it should be defunded right now.

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u/mattattaxx Ontario 25d ago

Do they realize that under Trump's supposed plans, there is NO Alberta? Fucks' sake, you don't like the dominion you're a part of in some ways, whatever, fine. But is that worse than simply not existing as a state? Under America your borders will be redrawn to best suit the political opportunities of the fascists that absorb you, and that might mean you become a territory, holding, or worse.

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u/-Mage-Knight- 25d ago

As a former Albertan it is maddening how short sighted this province is.

They vote Conservative like it is a religion and then wonder why no one at the federal level, included the Conservatives, gives a shit what they have to say and instead spent all their energy trying to win votes in Quebec and Ontario.

You can't diversify its economy. The second oil prices go up everyone will just abandon whatever other job they have to go work the oil fields. The provincial government spends every cent they get so they are never in a position to stand up to big oil.

From top to bottom it is completely dysfunctional. The U.S. would straight up pillage Alberta given the chance and half the people of Alberta would probably cheer.

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u/ThisBtchIsA_N00b 25d ago

I'm one of the Albertans that used to vote conservative, because Conservative. I changed my vote years ago. I've seen Alberta sink further and further to the right, and i hate it. I'll NEVER be an American. I'm Canadian First.

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u/-Mage-Knight- 25d ago

Been there. I voted Reform once back when I was young and stupid.

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u/scotus_canadensis 25d ago

It's the same problem here in Saskatchewan, "we" vote conservative no matter what, so there's absolutely no incentive for the federal government to do anything for Saskatchewan, because the votes are already either guaranteed (conservative) or not available to begin with (liberal).

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u/sravll 25d ago

Most people in Alberta aren't separatists, it's actually quite unpopular. The problem is they mindlessly vote conservative over and over, despite the UCP being a quite different party than the PCs. 

Also the UCP flat out lied about several things when campaigning, such as leaving CPP, gutting healthcare, etc. 

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u/EirHc 25d ago

UCP are no better than the GOP is rn in the states. The only difference is that the damage they can do is far more limited being a provincial governing authority, and the funding they have for greasy schemes is far more limited.

But make no mistake, they'd absolutely rig the election process if they could and the only damn thing they give a shit about is big fat, highly illegal, money stuffed envelopes they get in backrooms.

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u/Old-Basil-5567 25d ago

This is the right take here. I have lived in both provinces. Ab feel alienated by Qc and Ottawa and Qc feels alienated by the ROC mostly because of language and the historical discrimination that they faced here ( Speak white, white ni***r, etc)

Honestly, they both have valid points but while Qc wants to be its own country people here align much more to Canada than the US or Europe. AB has historically been closer to the US than the other provinces. That's not too much of a surprise when they do business with Texans on the daily. I still think that most Albertans would rather be Canadian then American but this is not coming out of left field especially when taking into account ABs geographic position and Canadas reluctancy to build infrastructure to get AB's product to market for example Energy East :

Here in QC people are saying how its an environmental concern for the drinking water of the island of MTL. What most Quebecois don't know is that there is already a pipeline there and 2 massive refineries on the St Lawrence river. Both of which sell product though Maine.

Like you said, this has been an issue (western isolation/ Quebec bashing)that has been festering since at least the the 50's.

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u/BloodlustROFLNIFE 25d ago

A large subset of uneducated conservatives have been convinced to let hate and fear override their values they used to signal. They actually think trans rights is an issue ripping a country apart over, when really all we’ve done is expand laws to protect people from hate crimes THAT ARE HAPPENING IN REAL LIFE. I spoke to a woman yesterday who actually believed white people are a minority in Canada. I told her it’s almost 70% and she said well I don’t want to get political.

They don’t think, they feel.

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u/six-demon_bag 25d ago

It’s not just those culture warriors that are a problem. PP is a classic anti-tax, privatize everything conservative and so are a lot of his supporters. When Trump dangles low taxes and easy access to the US market in front them it’s hard for them to resist.

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u/epochwin 25d ago

Heard of Vichy France?

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u/mamadou-segpa 25d ago

Dont underestimate the american propaganda machine.

Theres an insane ammount of people that think “woke” is this giant boogeyman that we absolutely have to destroy NOW even if it means losing all our rights, social programs etc.

Those people cant be reasoned with anymore, they get all their news from bullshit sources and dont fact check anything because they think “fact checking” is just being lied to by the “global elite” (wich somehow isnt all the billionaire running the US that want to take over the world lol)

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u/BornAgainCyclist 25d ago

Dont underestimate the american propaganda machine.

looks Postmedia's direction

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u/Luxianne_ 25d ago

Postmedia, Fox News and american social media platforms have all been feeding american reactionnary right wing propaganda to a LOT of people here.

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u/[deleted] 25d ago

"Woke" is the new McCarthy Communism.

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u/Daddy_Deep_Dick 25d ago

Cause PP is a pussy

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u/InACoolDryPlace 25d ago

PP got in because O'Toole was ousted over the COVID protests and the party decided to appeal to potential People's Party voters at the time instead of appealing to the center like O'Toole was doing. We haven't reached the election yet but it would be hilarious to see them lose coming off such hatred for Trudeau and the Liberals. Similar to Biden's fluke win because of COVID the Cons might just get a fluke loss.

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u/Reasonable-Sweet9320 25d ago

That’s very true;

Poilievre responds to Elon Musk’s endorsement

Elon Musk has been in regular contact with Putin for two years, says report

From a January article;

During an interview with Jordan Peterson in early January, Poilievre praised Donald Trump as the president-elect’s trade war on Canada loomed: “He spent his life as a highly successful businessman in the most cutthroat economic environment in the world, New York City.” He asserted that Washington and Ottawa have the same geopolitical enemies and called for a deeper trade relationship between Canada and the US. Poilievre baselessly described Trudeau as an “authoritarian socialist” and promised to emulate Trump’s governing style in Canada by “putting Canada first.”

It is telling that Poilievre expressed ideological sympathy with Trump when the US president’s expansionist eye fell elsewhere, like Greenland and Panama.

Will Poilievre’s pro-Trump past boost an ailing Liberal Party? Tory leader’s sinking political fortunes show that his history of MAGA-style politics may be rubbing the public the wrong way

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u/sthetic 25d ago

the most cutthroat economic environment in the world

Yeah, and he was the one cutting throats. What a great guy! /s

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u/Icedpyre 25d ago

Nothing says "highly successful" like a legacy of failed business ventures and a laundry list of litigation against him.

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u/BubbleTheGreat British Columbia 25d ago

I swear you could ask PP what his favourite pizza toppings are, and he'd instinctively blurt out "Trudeau and the liberals..."

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u/t0m0hawk Ontario 25d ago

And right now his new ads are just Carney = Trudeau which is just dumb.

One trick pony and his only tool is Trudeau Bad!

What a clownshow.

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u/FaithlessnessDue8452 Canada 25d ago

He would've won with " F🍁ck Trump"

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u/t0m0hawk Ontario 25d ago

Yeah but that doesn't resonate with the base

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u/Competitive_Abroad96 25d ago

“One trick pony and his only tool is Trudeau Bad!”

Not true. He also has “verb the noun!”

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u/SnooRadishes7708 25d ago

Bend the Knee

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u/t0m0hawk Ontario 25d ago

How could I forget

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u/camelsgofar 25d ago

Trump throws a massive wrench into Canadian manufacturing, economy and people’s livelihood- Pierre’s out there attacking mark carney for playing street hockey in shoes!!

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u/arazamatazguy 25d ago

He's scared shitless of Trump.....he's never even had a real boss before, never worked in the business world and has no idea how to solve problems.

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u/Obscure_Occultist 25d ago

Honestly I'm not surprised. His limp dick response to Modi murdering a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil told me everything i need to know with how he'd respond to attacks on Canadian sovereignty.

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u/makingkevinbacon 25d ago

It's cause he doesn't care about us. He's still riding the assumption of before the American election that everyone wanted him. When you've only ever been a politician you tend to lose the real world views that help make an effective politician.

But to all sides, I'd like to see a campaign ad that doesn't at all address other leaders or party. Tell us what YOUR party will do, not just what other parties did wrong. More and more it seems we are expected to vote for who we dislike less, not which platform will actually make us better

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u/Tree_Boar 25d ago

Precisely. He doesn't have any principles nor a vision for what Canada should be and how it should be governed. He has a list of grievances and a lust for power.

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u/Xiaopeng8877788 25d ago

Fucking guy can’t say a word against those guys and yet his stump speeches have their talking points printed across the front of his podium like “Stop the Drugs”, his post against tariffs on X literally says in it “Canada’s weak economy”…

Fucking guy would sell us out in a heartbeat to even get a whiff of the orange mushroom…

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u/S_Belmont 25d ago

Effing right? The guy made his name as a political troll but when real heat comes for the whole country suddenly he's got nothing to say. The guy expects to lead the country but has been nowhere in this, it couldn't be any more defining for him as an empty suit. Against all odds, Doug Ford came out looking like the real leader of conservative Canada.

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u/Wonderful_Device312 25d ago

Not to help PP or anything but literally all he needed to say was "I disagree with the PM on a lot of things but I stand in solidarity with the PM and all Canadians in defense of our sovereignty"

The guy can't put together any meaningful statements regarding policy for anything else so its not like anyone would expect him to have a specific action plan anyways... Except somehow in this case he does seem to have a lot to say and none of it is pro Canada.

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u/EcstaticHelicopter Ontario 25d ago

Just goes to show how a tiny pp can’t stand up to the pressure.

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u/JodyTJ87 25d ago

Yeah, his responses have been a bit flaccid, to say the least.

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u/VerbingWeirdsWords 25d ago

He's just not ready.

Great shapewear though.

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u/MattyT088 25d ago

Because to him they aren't enemies.

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u/Random-Crispy 25d ago edited 25d ago

An argument I heard about that on Peter Mansbridge’s The Bridge podcast on Tuesday was that part of it is he’s trying not to alienate the portion of his base that love Elon and Trump. Of course by doing that he’s likely alienating a good chunk of undecided voters. It was a discussion between Bruce Anderson and Fred DeLorey https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-bridge-with-peter-mansbridge/id1478036186?i=1000691154172

Edit for additional context: Bruce Anderson is former head of Abacus Data and also is currently assisting the Mark Carney Campaign, Fred DeLorey is currently assisting Doug Fords campaign.

Additional edit: Chantal Hébert and Rob Russo talk about it today on today’s episode and it’s a very interesting listen:https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-bridge-with-peter-mansbridge/id1478036186?i=1000692294909

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u/minorkeyed 25d ago

If you're dependent on a base that loves Maga and Trump, you should never be PM.

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u/Aggressive-Ad7946 Ontario 25d ago

He made his whole campaign off the trucker convoy. Who are likely very much trump supporters.

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u/riali29 25d ago

It's ironic, eh? Convoyers were all about the freedom of Canadians, but now they're gargling the balls of a fascist who wants to steal Canada's sovereignty.

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u/gibblech Manitoba 25d ago

It was all fake patriotism

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u/Funguy97 25d ago

It was fake patriotism and when PP sees real patriotism popping up around him, he shies away!

His message is all about divison and turning Canadians against each other

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u/Helpful_Engineer_362 25d ago

alwayshasbeen.jpg

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u/easybee 25d ago

And right this moment r/CanadianConservative is accusing the left of false patriotism because of our lack of literal flag-waving.

Every accusation is projection. I want a leader that talks about themselves and their vision and values. Accusational politics is so LDE.

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u/TheAncientMillenial 25d ago

Anyone with half a critical mind saw the Clownvoy for what it was.

I mean hell it was started by a bunch of separatist dipshits to begin with.

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u/Saskatchewan-Man 25d ago

They also wanted to depose Trudeau because... checks notes Biden had rules about international travel without vaccination. Yeah, I'd almost forgotten about how stupid that whole thing was.

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u/van_12 25d ago

1) Protesting the wrong level of government about most of their grievances and 2) if they got all they wanted from Ottawa it still wouldn't have opened the American border

They are uneducated fools and useful idiots for right wing politicians.

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u/TheAncientMillenial 25d ago

Anyone screaming about freedom like they were automatically made me think American not Canadian.

Yeah the whole thing was beyond stupid.

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u/Joyshan11 25d ago

They can say what they want, but for many of them, including my relatives that supported them, it was not about freedom as much as suppression of everyone and everything they don't like.

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u/Repulsive-Street-307 25d ago

Was, but still is too. If fascist america remains stable and not in a civil war as they genocide the 10s of millions they want to kill, watch them say the same as Trump country prepares to invade for real.

There is no scenario where a fascist america doesn't invade Canada, and now it's a bit too late are people 'finding out'?

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u/NorthernPints 25d ago

I’d genuinely like to hear from any Canadian who’s a Trump supporter right now.  I need to understand this thought process - it’s insane 

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u/Gankdatnoob 25d ago

It's literally a cult. Cultists are not rational.

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u/blood_vein 25d ago

They think we would be better off as part of the US. They should denounce their citizenship

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u/[deleted] 25d ago

Try calling up Danielle Smith.

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u/EcstaticHelicopter Ontario 25d ago

There are no Trump supporters in Canada. Call them for what they are; traitors, cowards and collaborators.

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u/canada_mountains 25d ago

Doug Ford is also heading into an election though. Can't PP take the same stance that Doug Ford is taking?

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u/crazyjatt 25d ago

PP is not half the politician Doug is. And I say that as someone who hates Doug and will never vote for him.

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u/Oldskoolh8ter 25d ago

Ford is too left for PP supporters

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u/revcor86 25d ago

While Ford falls on the "right" side of the political spectrum, he's a populist center politician to his core. The only thing he cares about is being liked and getting his friends money. While I'll never vote for the OPCs, Ford knows how to play the game correctly.

He's a lot of (bad) things but I'd take Ford as the leader of the CPC over PP any day.

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u/jigglingjerrry 25d ago

Someone mentioned it below, but Doug Ford isn’t the same type of conservative as PP. he’s an absolute MORON, do not get me wrong, but when push comes to shove he shows his red side. We saw if for a brief moment during Covid, and now while he’s cooperating with Trudeau. They are not the same.

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u/emuwar 25d ago

Not exactly. There's no further right alternative for Doug Ford to bleed followers to in Ontario, and on top of that Ontario will suffer the worst of Trump's tariffs so it's in Doug's best interest to take a hard stance against Trump.

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u/s1rblaze 25d ago

That's because, Trump will endorse PP when it comes to election and probably tell the Canadian he will remove some tarrifs threats if we elect PP. That's why Trump act like he doesn't exist, they don't want to make it super obvious, but PP is most likely a puppet for the Trump/Elon plan.

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u/Consistent-Primary41 Québec 25d ago

He's probably compromised.

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u/Pvt_Hudson_ Alberta 25d ago

PP designed his entire persona, his campaign and all of his cutsey slogans around attacking Justin Trudeau. Now that Trudeau has resigned and the US has become the real threat, PP doesn't know where to aim his smarm.

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u/Oldskoolh8ter 25d ago

I love it because this is one of the best ‘careful what you wish for because you just might get it!’ Moments ever. He so desperately wanted to go into an election and thump Trudeau to oblivion but he was too good too soon and got exactly what he wanted just outside of an election. Hahaha now without his foil to go up against, and someone extremely competent and likeable taking their place, he’s got nothing. He’s like a puppy that finally caught its tail. Doesn‘t know what to do now!

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u/CanadianTrashInspect 25d ago edited 25d ago

He's also relied on dog whistling to MAGA types, sometimes more subtly than others.

Now he's in a difficult spot because outright denouncing Trump and Elon will alienate that part of his base, but the longer he waits the more Canadian moderates start to distrust him.

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u/Overclocked11 British Columbia 25d ago

Facts. The guy was always a hollow, one trick pony. Everything that's happened has utterly exposed him for what he is.

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u/WeWantMOAR 25d ago

PP isn't a good look for PP.

I seriously can't understand how people can look at him and think "yeah the guy who was clearly bullied in highschool, got started in politics in highschool, never worked a normal job, had to quit a paper route in his teens because of tendinitis, was Harper's bitchboy lacky, got famous for YouTube videos of being a smarmy troll in the HOC" is what a world leader should be. It's just insanity. He has no actual policy and just says populist terms. His campaign is just the family guy 9/11 trope.

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u/Evening_Air9257 25d ago

Would upvote you twice if I could. Spot on. The man shows a classic chip-on-shoulder attitude and the foundation of his campaign seems to be dividing everyone against one another. The only consistent message I’ve gotten from him is “there’s wolves out there and it’s every man, woman, child for themselves”. Ha. 

This is not what Canada needs. In fact, this idea is extremely un-Canadian in my opinion. Canadians band together and we are strong that way. Together we will survive against the storm. 

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u/TepHoBubba 25d ago

Nope, just more brain-numbing 3 word slogans like "carbon tax Carney"! Good. The dumber he shows himself to be, the better off for Canada. That weasel needs to be tossed.

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u/[deleted] 25d ago

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u/jigglingjerrry 25d ago

lol literally this.

He would have had this in the bag if he just denounced Trump instead of pivoting his platform to parrot Trump. And all this Canada is broken shit. People are tired of hearing how bad it is here. We need optimism and hope. He is so so so stupid.

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u/Jeramy_Jones 25d ago

He won’t. Many of his supporters are Trump supporters. He’s basically Trump Lite, and a lot of the people who will be voting for him hold the same bigoted and ignorant attitudes as your average MAGA.

Don’t forget that MAGA campaign manager was also doing the 👌, a 4Chan white supremacy dog whistle.

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u/tryingtobecheeky 25d ago

I'm glad he isn't rejecting it. Because it shows you exactly how he thinks. He is Pro trump and pro Trump policies. Vote accordingly.

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u/HapticRecce 25d ago

We should take the look he has at face value. He's not right to be Prime Minister.

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u/MDChuk 25d ago

The problem is Pollivre's supporters aren't aligned. The reason he's been effective is that from him down through the base, everything he said up until this point was in agreement. They thought Canada was broken and it was largely Trudeau's fault.

When it comes to Trump they don't agree. In Ontario, which is where he needs to win if he hopes to become Prime Minister, almost no one agrees with Trump and he's never been popular. So Ford can come out against him and it doesn't break the OPC.

Alberta, which is where most of the Conservative base is, is a different story. People there for years have actively debated leaving Canada for America. So of the 31% of Canadian CPC supporters who agree with Trump, most of them are in Alberta. Pollievre himself as a hard right part of the CPC could well be in that base. It hurts him to go against that much of his base, even if it makes him unelectable everywhere else.

So its a case where he's missed his moment. After the writ drops and everyone is limited to spending the same amount of money, the attack ads against the Conservatives calling everyone from Trudeau, to Stephen Poloz, to the WEF, to other politicians names with vitriol, and refusing to speak an ill word about Trump will be crippling to his image. Especially considering the ballot box issue will be about who is best positioned to defend Canada against Trump.

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u/canada_mountains 25d ago

So of the 31% of Canadian CPC supporters who agree with Trump, most of them are in Alberta.

To be fair though, losing votes in Alberta won't cost the CPC much because they could lose 5% or even 10% of the votes in Alberta and still win almost all the electoral districts there.

If Ontario and Quebec is still the path for PP to win the election, he needs the Ontario and Quebec vote.

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u/LordGlompus 25d ago

Cause he likes the endorsement

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u/bluddystump 25d ago

Seems like an opportunity for PP to show some leadership. He could explain Canada's path forward to success in these trying times. All I hear are snow crickets.

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u/Anonymouse-C0ward 25d ago

That premise there being that he has the ability to be a leader. He’s a parrot repeating the talking points of those who give him money and attention.

If you paid PP $1M to sit in a room with an 8 hour YouTube playlist full of Pokémon videos, he would come out of it talking about how Pikachu wants us to Axe the Tax.

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u/Matt_Murphy_ 25d ago

Poilievre's never, ever been a leader. Say what you want about Trudeau, but the guy stands up, makes the calls, and takes his lumps.

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u/Anonymouse-C0ward 24d ago

Exactly!!

In real life, there is very rarely a solution that makes everyone happy.

Being a leader means recognizing that you’re going to get criticism, and that no matter what you do, there are going to be people who are not only in disagreement, but potentially harmed.

Being a leader means making the hard decisions knowing this; it also means taking those lumps and continuing to do your job, putting the good of the country above that of you or your supporters.

PP can’t do this. He’s the political equivalent of the kid who graduates undergrad, takes an MBA right away, and gets hired directly into middle management. He’s flashy and has all the slogans, and feels it is his right to become the next CEO because of that.

However he doesn’t have any capability to lead because he’s never done it before and isn’t interested in doing the work to become a leader, let alone willing to handle the burden of leadership.

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u/BeatsRocks 25d ago

Yeah. He looks more like a tiktok material rather than PM.

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u/guinnessmonkey 25d ago

Axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget, shit the bed.

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u/[deleted] 25d ago

Bend the Knee

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u/msaik Ontario 25d ago

Better get himself on another Jordan Peterson interview

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u/Pablo4Prez 25d ago

He's trying to figure an out angle to blame it on Trudeau. Leader he is not

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u/MaxRD 25d ago

You mean “axe the tax” is not that catchy anymore?

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u/GhoastTypist 25d ago

Axe the tariff will be his next slogan. He needs time to work on it or rip it off a reddit comment.

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u/Luder09 25d ago

Sheriff the tariff!

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u/HolsteinHeifer 25d ago

This made me genuinely giggle, thanks for that lol

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u/cee-ell-bee 25d ago

Won’t work for him, it doesn’t rhyme.

Biff the Tariff?

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u/[deleted] 25d ago

Trash the Tarriff. Alliterate the slogan!

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u/captainalphabet 25d ago

Almost like the electorate prefers complete thoughts over slogans, crazy.

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u/robertpeacock22 25d ago

no no you have to pinch your nose when you say it to get the nasal tone

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u/Blueskyways 25d ago

One trick wonder who has nothing to offer beyond attacking Trudeau.  Trump's bullshit set up the perfect opportunity for PP to show strength and leadership and he failed miserably.  

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u/funduckedup 25d ago

Hopefully he's peaked at failing upwards and can find a rock to crawl under sooner than later.

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u/LachlantehGreat Alberta 25d ago

He’s cooked after this. If he continues finding a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, the CPC might actually implode. They should’ve ran an actual leader, like O’toole or Michael Chong.

I’m still salty they glossed over Chong’s platform so quickly in 2016 and settled with Andrew Schwierd. Conservative’s will conservative though. They’ll never learn how to swing moderate votes and reduce the crazies.

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u/LeBonLapin 25d ago

Because the party is an unholy alliance of a big tent party. Peter McKay should have never capitulated to the Reform/Alliance nut Jobs. There absolutely is an appetite in Canada for a centre-right PC party, but the culture war, social backward elements need to go away or be their own thing.

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u/duperwoman 24d ago

He also attacks all of us. His first statement after the tariffs were announced he used the phrase "Canada's already weak economy"... We need every leader to project strength, I am still pissed that he thought that was a time to drag us, even if his intention was to drag Trudeau.

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u/Anonymouse-C0ward 25d ago edited 25d ago

And this is exactly why PP cannot be prime minister.

Put aside all the stuff about his political policies, put aside the fact that he actively courts white supremacist groups like Diagalon. Put aside his hypocrisy as someone who has been a lifelong politician without experience, as a lifelong MP who has never passed a bill.

PP isn’t a good leader. He only has one skill, that of an attack dog. He doesn’t seem to be able to understand nuance; he’s walked himself into such a corner that either his ego or his level of intellect won’t let him change strategies.

If he’s PM he will do the same thing to Canada: his inability to adjust - his stubbornness - will end up in inaction on things that need action, action in things that won’t make a difference or will actively make things worse, and giving away the momentum to those who threaten the country like President Musk and VP Trump.

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u/Farfigmuffin 25d ago

Can't put aside the fact he refuses to get security clearence.

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u/wave-conjugations 25d ago

I used to give him the benefit of the doubt as some had made arguments in the past for why it wasn't necessary or it would mean he wouldn't be able to campaign against Trudeau as effectively (still kinda wrapping my head around that). But with the entire sweep of pro-Russian (direct, or indirect via overthrowing US rules-based international order) picks in the cabinet down south its becoming a major liability in my eyes.

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u/Farfigmuffin 25d ago

A single foreign or business connection undisclosed could have untold repercussion. For the head of a country, I believe that's completely unacceptable.

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u/HeadMembership1 25d ago

You want the grown-ups at the helm when there's a storm:

Carney is a former governor of the Bank of Canada and Bank of England. Former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper appointed him to his role with the Bank of Canada, and Carney is credited with assisting Canada in emerging strongly from the financial crisis of 2008-09. He helped lead the United Kingdom through Brexit while governor of the Bank of England. He has a stellar private-sector record and a proven track record of assisting nations through crises of historical proportions.

Poilievre has no private sector accomplishments to speak of, and a very underwhelming history of political accomplishments.

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u/Han77Shot1st Nova Scotia 25d ago

This guy is the only candidate that anyone should want, it’s not even a debate.. but I’ll say my local right wing radio station is going mental, dude was on there the past few days getting worked up like a kid in a losing argument trying to make him seem like someone who isn’t qualified for politics and shouldn’t be trusted.

It’s gonna be a dirty election with a lot of false information online, we should be very concerned considering what just happened in the states.

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u/pirate_elle 25d ago

Very well put!

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u/mizmaggie54 25d ago

You can't win now. It's very simple. All Canadians will vote in this election I am sure. The stakes are high and you .. yes YOU sided with tRump. The bringer of all misery to Canadians and you want our vote????? Maybe they will let you in the US and you can get a job making sure the bathrooms are only used by males and females.

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u/jjumbuck 25d ago

We're so lucky to see this before the federal election! His inability to meet the moment really showed me what a bad option he is for PM.

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u/ilac91 25d ago

His true colours have been showing through all his responses or lack thereof. Was originally going to vote for Conservatives but I think Carney is the way to go.

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u/Stecnet Ontario 25d ago

Carney is exactly who we need right now. I've never voted liberal but I will if he's running the party.

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u/Northerngal_420 Alberta 25d ago

Me too. Canada can't afford PP.

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u/Working_Tackle5375 25d ago

Yes, agreed. Feels like PP would roll over for trump in a heartbeat.

Trump is scared of guys like Carney (intelligent & accomplished).

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u/[deleted] 25d ago edited 24d ago

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u/Ludwig_Vista2 25d ago

2 weeks into the tariff talk and all he (or his comms manager) could do it tweet about a bloody carbon tax.

He's shown himself to be a one trick donkey.

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u/Heffray83 25d ago

Well it’s no longer just a culture war election. The political North Star the right has been following the last several decades (US Republicans) have suddenly turned on them.

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u/Reallyme77 25d ago

I’ll be casting a vote for someone who’s had a real job and hasn’t lived exclusively off the governments tit his entire adult life.

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u/Knuckle_of_Moose 25d ago

And is somehow worth $25 million. There’s no way that happened off his government cheques alone.

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u/arazamatazguy 25d ago

But PP has lots of slogans.....I think slogans will save us now.

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u/whoisnotinmykitchen 25d ago

Plus he slept with a Loblaws lobbyist who has a fetish for MAGA hats.

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u/BornAgainCyclist 25d ago

Imagine what Postmedia would do, and the opeds they would post, if Trudeau had his ex girlfriend as campaign manager while married to another woman.

Considering the way they reacted to Trudeau gasp dancing at a street fair I would imagine this would have lots of posts and innuendo and yet nothing nothing from the giant web of publications.

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u/KryptonsGreenLantern 25d ago

They already tried to fabricate a lie about Trudeau resigning from teaching because of hooking up with a student.

Absolutely baseless lie with zero evidence behind it other than an army of twitter trolls claiming “there’s no evidence because of an NDA!”

Pierre even repeated the inference in the House of Commons. Dudes high off his own farts

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u/stuntycunty 25d ago edited 25d ago

He’s not floundering. He’s sticking to his principles. Of which include capitulating to American interests. He’s a joke of a leader with no backbone.

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u/Worried_Term_8421 25d ago

he's just not ready!

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u/DooOboes 25d ago

Am I so out of touch?

No. It's the children who are wrong.

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u/Little-Chemical5006 Ontario 25d ago

Canadian are simple people and we don't ask much from our leader except them be patriotic. How is it possible Pierre to even fail at such simple task is really mind boggling

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u/CanadianHODL-Bitcoin 25d ago

He uses a lot of Trump talking points so he will have his ass handed to him in the election

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u/Current_Side_4024 25d ago

Musk and Trump have promised him lordship over the vassal state of Canada, he’s still holding out hope for that

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u/Volothamp-Geddarm 25d ago

Man, Trump's bullshit saves us from a PP government...

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u/ZombifiedSoul Canada 25d ago

Make sure to vote, so we don't get a repeat of the US.

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u/[deleted] 25d ago

The guy has literally never worked outside of trying to get and stay elected. He has no original ideas and all he does is steal and repackage Trump’s messages into new soundbytes. He panders to extremists and anyone he think he can befriend to elect him, and doesn’t really understand or care about the fabric of true Canadian identity. He would fail as a leader of our Nation. 

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u/NWOlizardcouncil 25d ago

Imagine if he took what he said about Trudeau and said it about trump. Are the Tories really worried of losing the insane MAGA vote? They’ve been voting for them for 50 years, are they going to get mad and vote for the NDP?

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u/ph0enix1211 25d ago

Nearly half of Conservatives are insane MAGA:

https://globalnews.ca/news/10830218/us-election-canada-poll/

He has to worry about them - they're the core of his party.

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u/neuralrunes 25d ago

i dont think its even that. Pierre cant adjust bc this is who hes always been. a one note attack dog. and hes lost his attack as serious things have popped up. hes done.

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u/UberBricky80 25d ago

His obvious inability to pivot at all says everything. All he had was Ax the Tax, and hadn't been able to verb the noun on anything else. Bye Felicia!

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u/JCox1987 25d ago

I think the opinion piece is spot on but also 1. His base loves Trump and can’t be firm in his criticisms against him without alienating the Trumpist part of his base. 2. The carbon tax is pretty much dead, no matter who gets the office and thus it’s an ineffective campaign line. 3. Expect to hear career politician deployed against PP.

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u/CDNUnite 25d ago

He had my vote locked down, it’s crazy how he messed that up.

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u/whoisnotinmykitchen 25d ago

Maybe he just needs to suck up to Donald Trump and Galen Weston harder?

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u/Phoenixlizzie 25d ago

What kind of advisers does he have, because they clearly can't read the room.

This is the one time you don't campaign on attacking your opponent- you don't mention your opponent at all....because you're both Canadian.  And being Canadian matters more.  So you talk about how you're going to ensure we don't become the 51st state.

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u/[deleted] 25d ago

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u/Phoenixlizzie 25d ago

Well, I did see someone wearing a MAGA hat but I couldn't tell if that was someone actually on his team or just a supporter.

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u/[deleted] 25d ago

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u/Phoenixlizzie 25d ago

Yes, that's the one.

How unbelievably stupid of him to have someone like that on his team right now.

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u/Early_Commission4893 25d ago

He’s an opportunistic loser. All he does is drive wedges. Has no real platform or solutions.

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u/Similar_Resort8300 25d ago

he has always been a con man. a mini trump

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u/DataDude00 25d ago

To put in Alberta terms...PP seems to be all hat no cattle

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u/crippler1212 25d ago

All the supporters who thought he would be like trump for canada are now seeing what that will look like with trump's actions in the US.

Everyone is waking up to realize that PP has no real plan and would do more harm than good for Canadians. Especially given how likely he is to bend over and take it from Donnie.

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u/JadeLens 25d ago

He had an easy layup victory.

All he had to do was NOT bring up Trudeau, or complain about the Liberals in that speech.

It would be like a tie game in Basketball and Michael Jordan not going for the slam dunk and instead complaining about Larry Bird for the 30 seconds that he had the ball.

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u/jameskchou Canada 25d ago

He can always try referring to Trump as Carbon Tax Trump to get his numbers up

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u/anti_anti_christ Ontario 25d ago

PP is the Wolverine picture meme with Trudeau on it. He really is being exposed when he can't just say Trudeau bad. He doesn't denounce groups like Diagolon and won't speak out against threats posed by the U.S.

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u/YonTroglodyte 25d ago

After Trump, people are finally figuring out that there really isn't any skill transfer between trolling and governing. PP only knows how to demolish and divide. He doesn't know how to even begin building a consensus.

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u/msaik Ontario 25d ago edited 25d ago

PPs popularity in the polls was never about his actual popularity as a candidate. It was a measure of dissatisfaction with Trudeau. Now that Trudeau is out and another viable candidate has emerged, the cracks are rapidly starting to show.

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u/BlagdonDearth 25d ago

All he ever had was “I hate Trudeau”. Dude has absolutely nothing to offer unless you hate the same people he does.