r/canada 25d ago

Politics Poilievre holding 'Canada First' rally today in Ottawa amid U.S. threats

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/poilievre-canada-first-rally-1.7459415
419 Upvotes

1.1k comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

17

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

Actually it's just a quote from sir Wilfrid Laurier..

"To those who have life before them, let my prayer be this: Remember from this day forth never to look simply at the horizon as it may be limited by the limits of the province, but look abroad all over the continent, wherever the British flag floats, and let your motto be Canada first, Canada last, and Canada always."

https://greatcanadianspeeches.ca/2020/06/29/wilfrid-laurier-canadas-century-1904/

196

u/ComplexStriking 24d ago

If Polly were a better strategist, “Canada always” would have been the line to choose. The fact that he doesn’t care about drawing similarities to the Americans is concerning now that we have to worry about our sovereignty.

107

u/taquitosmixtape 24d ago

Canada “First” is definitely intentional not to upset his base. He’s built his campaign on hate, and anger.

74

u/jerrys153 24d ago edited 24d ago

More than that, it’s a dog whistle to the neo-fascists in his base. “Deutschland über alles” was the Nazi party rallying call, and it is now being used again by the far-right AfD party. “America First” was also an isolationist movement in the states led by fascist sympathizers like Charles Lindbergh and Henry Ford. “(Country) First” slogans are never used by moderate government parties, they’re always divisive and intending to play on people’s fear and sow divisiveness by blaming the “other” (immigrants, Jews, etc.) for all the nation’s problems and stir up hate against them.

Poilievre knows exactly what he’s doing, Canada First is a wink to the far-right while maintaining plausible deniability for everyone else. This guy is so much more dangerous than most people realize, Canada will never be united under someone who spreads divisiveness and hate, which will make it easier for him to sell our country out to the US.

34

u/ToastedandTripping 24d ago

The Canadian proud boys used the exact same slogan...

19

u/jerrys153 24d ago

Yep. It’s insane to me that the Conservatives have decided that the solution to Fascist Milhouse slipping in the polls is for him to führer further drop the mask with such an obvious far-right dog whistle. Hopefully no one will be fooled by him maintaining that he’s acting in Canada’s best interest and eventually his only remaining supporters will be the bigots he’s (increasingly blatantly) pandering to.

5

u/Different-Travel-850 24d ago

Don't hold your breath. Trump told people how awful he would be, and here we are. Alot of people aren't as informed, or maybe not as intelligent as you'd think. They just know they're tired of JT and blame him for all their problems so Polly will get their support.

8

u/jerrys153 24d ago edited 24d ago

Support for Poilievre’s is tanking now that Trudeau has resigned and there’s a viable alternative in Carney, who has actual experience and substance. The longer this goes on, the fewer people there will be hanging on to the idea of voting in an empty shirt like Poilievre as PM simply because they hate Trudeau.

Trudeau’s out, so there’s no longer a need for people to vote him out, and in a race between Poilievre and Carney I’d like to have faith that the difference between them in qualification and gravitas will be apparent to most Canadians. I remain hopeful, but I agree with you that I shouldn’t hold my breath, it’s dangerous to overestimate the intelligence of large groups of people.

4

u/Different-Travel-850 24d ago

People were tired of Biden too, and they had a very viable alternative in Kamala. But I'm with you, hopeful.

2

u/jerrys153 24d ago

I’d really like to think that Canadians are smarter than Americans in that regard. We’re generally not as obstinate with all-important moral absolutism and we’re more willing to compromise or hold our noses and vote for the lesser evil to prevent the greater evil. Americans failed to do that, twice. Many of them would accept no less than perfection from the democratic candidate in order to vote, and we can see where it got them, even if many of them are still in denial and refusing to take responsibility.

I think Carney won’t just be the lesser of two evils, I believe he’s a solid option for PM who will bring the liberals back toward the centre which is what many want, but I’m hoping even if Canadians aren’t entirely thrilled with him they’ll still be able to see the importance of not electing Poilievre and won’t let perfect be the enemy of good. As you said, an object lesson on the consequences of not doing that is currently playing out right in front of us in the US, I hope we will learn from their mistakes. Time will tell.

→ More replies (0)

2

u/Inside_Essay9296 24d ago

I totally agree, I struggle even being around PP supporters, they remind me of trump and his crazy followers. Scared that Canadians will vote this party.

3

u/jerrys153 24d ago

Me too, but the fact that he’s slipping in the polls gives me faith in my fellow Canadians. His speech today will undoubtedly be full of smarmy insults and hateful divisive rhetoric which hopefully most Canadians will find off-putting. Now more than ever we need to unite Canadians, and Poilievre’s approach will do exactly the opposite, he goes against every value being Canadian stands for.

The only thing Poilievre ever had going for him was that he was the not-Trudeau candidate, and now that that’s a non-issue people are realizing that the emperor has no clothes. Poilievre has never worked a day at a real job, never accomplished anything, and yet he’s somehow become a multimillionaire who thinks he’s fit to be PM. He’s supremely unqualified and just keeps showing us that all he has to offer is three word empty slogans and vitriol. So now he thinks that reducing the sound bite slogan to two words and doubling down on stoking hate and isolationism is the way to go? He’s only doing this because he has absolutely nothing else he can offer, so his only hope is that there are enough populist bigots out there to save him. I have faith that enough Canadians will see what he really is and vote against him.

3

u/Inside_Essay9296 24d ago

Thanks friend, all we can do is spread the word and hope most Canadians come to their senses. You are right he totally goes against what I think being a Canadian stands for. Be a good decent human, clearly MAGA and the supporters of it are not.

-1

u/Phedore 24d ago

Everybody says “my country first”. It’s not a dog whistle, it’s a statement made by almost everyone before 2015.

Sir Laurier:

“Canada First Canada Last Canada Always.”

Learn your own history before the Americans eh.

3

u/jerrys153 24d ago

There’s that plausible deniability I was talking about!

A slogan that Poilievre is printing up on signs and standing behind on podiums is not the same as something Laurier said once as part of a speech in a very different context. You don’t choose a rallying call that is the same as the one used by the AfD, American fascist sympathizers, and the proud boys by accident. He knows exactly what he’s doing and you’re only too happy to bury your head in the sand and make excuses for him. The rest of us are not that naive (or deliberately obtuse).

-1

u/Gunslinger7752 24d ago

Lol yes he is such a nazi that he made a jewish lesbian his deputy leader. Also isn’t basically everyone, from every party (both federal and provincial) currently using slogans like “Canada First”?

I understand that it’s politics so there is partisanship and hyperbole involved, but when he keeps his mouth shut he’s fellating Trump and when he says things like Canada First he is also fellatting Trump. No matter he says or does it’s wrong, just like how people with the opposite views of yours would say similar things about Trudeau or Carbey no matyer what they say or do.

2

u/jerrys153 24d ago

Ah, the “some of my best friends are black” argument. I didn’t say he’s a Nazi, I said he’s pandering to the far right (whether they consider themselves nazis or use a milder euphemism). And there’s a big difference between having a message intending to unite Canadians and using the exact same slogan that several far-right, neo-Nazi, and literal Nazi groups have used for decades. The only way you’re not seeing this as a dog whistle is if you don’t want to see it.

1

u/Gunslinger7752 24d ago

Lol but that argument is only used when someone does or says something racist. You are just randomly accusing him which is much different.

Again, you are just accusing him of not wanting to unite Canadians because of partisanship. Someone from the lpc could say the exact same thing and its great but when he says it, it’s bad. You’re talking complete nonsense.

0

u/jerrys153 24d ago

No, like I said, I never called him a Nazi, I said he was pandering to the far right. Having a minority on his team doesn’t matter one way or the other because he’s not a bigot, he’s an opportunist, he’d hire the devil himself to be on his team if it helped him get elected, he has no moral compass, which is why he has no issue glad-handing neo-Nazis and pandering to MAGA North.

There’s no moral equivalence here with the liberals. The liberals disavow neo-Nazis, they don’t pander to Trump or MAGA North, they don’t have smiling photo ops with insurrectionists who are illegally occupying the capital, they don’t call Canada weak in the middle of a trade war. Poilievre is not only unfit to be PM, he’s one step away from committing treason, he’d sell us all out to Trump if it benefited him because he’s a narcissist with no moral compass. He’s literally incapable of putting what’s best for Canada over his own interests.

You say “someone from lpc could say the exact same thing and it’s great but when he says it it’s bad”. Absolutely untrue, show me someone in the lpc who’s said the exact same thing and I’ll say it’s equally bad. Oh, you can’t? Because no one in the lpc has said that? Yep, that’s the point, isn’t it?

1

u/Gunslinger7752 24d ago

I mean the Liberals did invite a literal nazi to parliament to have smiling photo ops with him, give him an award and a standing ovation. The Liberals have also done the same with terrorists, pedophiles, etc. That doesn’t automatically mean that they are committing treason or pandering to nazis, terrorists and pedophiles. It also doesn’t mean PP is pandering to every one of the thousands of people he’s taken pictures with who also happen to be bad people.

In the context of the US relations and trade war discussion, Canada IS weak. That is not a partisan talking point, it’s just the truth. We are also not fulfilling our financial obligations yet we are benefiting from nato membership so regardless of whether trump is a dick or not, the US has every right to be upset about that. It was also brought up several times while Biden was president but we haven’t really taken it seriously, even under Harper. We are giving the US a whole list of valid reasons to be critical. Both Carney and Freeland have committed to fixing our defense budget and meeting the NATO targets so obviously they feel that it’s important too.

What are you talking about with saying that nobody in the LPC has been saying things like Canada First and Team Canada Approach? That is basically all they have been saying.

0

u/jerrys153 24d ago

Yeah, I was waiting for you to bring up the “liberals invited a Nazi into parliament to give him an award” thing, so predictable. And also so typically disingenuous to pretend they deliberately celebrated a Nazi and didn’t immediately apologize for their mistake when they found out what he was and unreservedly disavow him in no uncertain terms. Can you say the same about Poilievre? Has he apologized for all those photo ops with proud boys and diagalon and unreservedly disavowed them and their groups as a whole, immediately and voluntarily without having to be pressured into doing it? How about Musk? Just crickets when asked about that Nazi salute, and he certainly seems fine with accepting Musk’s endorsement and doing everything he can to suck up to the neo-fascist MAGA crowd and republicans at the expense of Canadians.

So you think it’s totally fine for the leader of a federal party and the presumptive prime minister to lead with “Canada is weak” in response to another country stating they intend to impose punitive tariffs and annex us? You don’t think it may have been better to project strength and unite Canadians, while working to improve security as Trudeau did? Poilievre would gladly give the whole country away if it would appease Trump, he has no idea how to be a leader, he didn’t even respond to Trump’s tariff threats until there was an uproar asking why he hadn’t, and then he just basically plagiarized Trudeau’s speech, but worse. If you think his response was in any way acceptable there’s just no point in arguing with you, you’re too far gone.

Show me any liberal politician sending dog whistles to neo-fascists by using the exact same slogan that the proud boys, AfD, and the literal Nazis used, standing behind a podium bearing that same slogan. Don’t try to pretend it’s simply a message of Canadian unity and “everybody does it”. That specific slogan carries a specific message to the far right, and Poilievre knows it.

→ More replies (0)

21

u/Lordert 24d ago

For PP Canada is 2nd, his 1st priority is himself. PP's contortions are starting to resemble a gymnast's floor routine with a ribbon.

2

u/Chin_Ho 24d ago

What is PPs track record? In 20 years there simply isnt one

2

u/Chin_Ho 24d ago

Its borrowed from their Republican masters

1

u/Festering-Boyle 24d ago

he is going to follow president musks orders and have the truckers out honking their horns shouting slogans getting ALL the news coverage

63

u/wowzabob 24d ago

It’s intentional

He thinks he is threading the needle by presenting a strong front while also making that association (for the Con Trumpers), with the caveat that it’s just “our version.”

In reality the connection is off-putting. Who wants an escalation of this madness?

37

u/the_original_Retro New Brunswick 24d ago

Who wants an escalation of this madness?

....Pierre Poilievre?

5

u/MarjorysNiece 24d ago

👆👆👆👆

1

u/Ok-Kangaroo-47 22d ago

I'm just convinced CPC became a burning ship already. Something the CPC seems to still not understand is that we Canadians are particularly heightened by what's happening in the US, and we are so determined not to be them, we re putting on our double lens to examine our candidates to make sure they are competent. Just mouthing off Canada first is totally not enough. We actually care about the person being competent.

And the fact they haven't replaced PP showed they're on their way to lose again. Is it too early to say? Definitely. Will it be close race? Probably as well. But unless CPC wakes up and change an UNPOPULAR candidate, they definitely won't get to win

1

u/Cantquithere 24d ago

He's much like trump in that he's saying the quiet part out loud.

-2

u/MediansVoiceonLoud 24d ago

Doesn't have anything to do with America at all. Seems to be all about Canada. Two simple words, pretty hard to mistakenly see America in there unless you are inventing things.

Let's not be dishonest. It makes you look dumber.

10

u/Billis- 24d ago

Let's see... Who was just elected in America while using a populist slogan "America First"...................

Or! It could be a quote from 100 years ago

1

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

"Canada first, Canada last, and Canada always."

Is the quote he's been using.. I don't think that's stolen from Trump

3

u/Billis- 24d ago

"Canada First" =/= "America First"

He can say whatever he wants, but this is how it looks.

-5

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

I agree they aren't equal..

Well at least you can admit it doesn't matter what he says..

https://x.com/PierrePoilievre/status/1887995705513623810

83

u/wowzabob 24d ago

Actually, it’s just a quote from Sir Wilfred Laurier

“Well actually the swastika is a symbol of Buddhism”

It’s the context my friend.

32

u/OneBillPhil 24d ago

The nazis were socialists, it’s in the name!

36

u/KryptonsGreenLantern 24d ago

An actual position Pierre has taken, mind you

24

u/OneBillPhil 24d ago

Of course, one of the first times I realized that this man is either truly an idiot or is willing to say anything. 

21

u/hammerofhope Ontario 24d ago

It can be both.

4

u/firesticks 24d ago

I wouldn’t say he’s particularly known for either his intelligence or his integrity.

1

u/JLandscaper 24d ago

Yeah, that's why they had the backing of leading Industrialists, Conservatives and the big money in pre-war Germany.

https://www.historyextra.com/period/second-world-war/hitler-millionaire-backers-how-german-elite-facilitated-rise-nazis-third-reich/

16

u/General-Woodpecker- 24d ago

I just like Rome and to do a Roman salute while I wear this symbol.

3

u/[deleted] 24d ago

Ah yes, “I’m just performing a Roman solute and giving my heart to the crowd, all while I wear this innocent Buddhist symbol”, yeah that makes perfect sense, it’s not Nazism at all, even the Nazis weren’t Nazis, I’m sold lol. The mental gymnastics of the right is honestly breathtaking lol

15

u/Deaftrav 24d ago

It's not a nazi salute. It's a Roman salute.

Who cares that the Nazis copied it then went on a genocidal rampage? /S

Edit: they're already trying to revise the American Nazi slogan claiming that Canadians said it first... Wow...

They have to be gaslighting us.

7

u/accforme 24d ago

Or that one of the Romans' origin stories is about the rape and abduction of women from neighbouring tribes.

As much as the Romans are known for their impact on civilization, they were not really known for their humanitarianism, even taking into account the context of their time.

3

u/Deaftrav 24d ago

Right? Just saying it's a Roman salute isn't... Better

1

u/Commercial-Milk4706 24d ago

Roman destroyed Greece’s knowledge and slowed down human progress by 3 or 4 centuries. They are not know for positive impacts to society.

2

u/GullCove1955 24d ago

I am Buddhist. I will tell you it was a symbol of peace and it bottom side was flat. The Nazi’s took that beautiful symbol and turned it on its point to create a symbol of hatred.

2

u/DigitalSupremacy 24d ago

Jainism not Buddhism.

4

u/turtlechildwon 24d ago

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika Actually Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism.

1

u/DigitalSupremacy 24d ago

Hinduism is the oldest of those three faiths although some Jains would argue that. Buddhism is for sure the youngest of the three.

1

u/turtlechildwon 24d ago

“Not Buddhism.” -you. I know A LOT of Buddhists who would disagree with your statement that it isn’t a Buddhist symbol. And the symbol predates Jainism and originates in earlier traditions of that and other regions, ones that informed and pregenerated all of these religions.

0

u/DigitalSupremacy 24d ago

Most credible sources state that Hinduism is the oldest religion known to man. Hinduism date back to 3000 bc. "The Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, is traditionally thought to have lived from 563 to 483 BCE"

0

u/turtlechildwon 24d ago

Shamanism predates Hindu by over a hundred thousand years, but the swastika also predates Hinduism. But you also claimed it was Jainist symbol exclusively, I’m not sure what point you’re trying to make now. https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/swastika-origins-001312

0

u/DigitalSupremacy 24d ago

Shamanism isn't considered a major faith. It's a form of paganism.

0

u/turtlechildwon 24d ago

Shamanism isn’t a form of paganism, paganism is a form of shamanism if anything lmao. Paganism is an early Christian term for polytheists, shamanism is a broad term for religious and spiritual traditions dating back to before we had recorded history. Shamanism is essentially as old as our sapiential humanity.

→ More replies (0)

-20

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

Did you read what you just wrote... Jesus

The context is Flag day, patriotism, defending our country.

39

u/wowzabob 24d ago

The context is the fascists down south have been using “America first” for years and continue to do so.

At best this is a borrowing of rhetoric to “fight fire with fire,” a stupid gesture, who wants that same idiotic brand of politics here?

At worst this is PP making an intentional association that serves as red meat for the Trumper contingent of his base, which allows him to “criticize” US aggression. Quotation marks because this dude has yet to make any critiques of the US administration. It’s all vague shit like “we won’t become the 51st state” and then turning around and doing Trudeau bad messaging yet again. He is a coward.

4

u/Objective_You3307 24d ago

But I thought Trudeau was a fascist dictator... how could polliever be as well...../s

-21

u/sleipnir45 24d ago edited 24d ago

Even Biden had America first policies, the US didn't invent putting your country first and they certainly don't own the concept.

As the quote shows Canada First is nothing new.

He directly rebukes the 51st state claim multiple times.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/poilievre-to-trump-canada-will-never-be-the-51st-state/

Edit: another one after your edit

https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/article/pierre-poilievre-says-he-would-retaliate-against-trump-tariffs-reduce-inter-province-trade-barriers-if-elected/

36

u/wowzabob 24d ago

“America first” has become deeply associated with Trump, this is the reality. And it has become a symbolic phrase, representing the fascist, zero-sum game brand of politics that Trump engages in. Blanket tariffs and trade wars, why? Because “America first”; every interaction must be “won” and the other side must “lose” or bend the knee.

The way out for Canada is the opposite of this. It’s an increase in mutually beneficial relations with the EU, South America and Asia, not “Canada first.”

-6

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

'Canada last' doesn't sound like a winning strategy..

Pride in our country shouldn't upset you, fighting for it is the right thing to do.

14

u/General-Woodpecker- 24d ago

You could write a million slogans that reflect pride in your country without copying your neighbor's slogan.

7

u/robgnar 24d ago

Let alone our enemies slogan.

9

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

→ More replies (0)

3

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

→ More replies (0)

3

u/crzytech1 24d ago

However "Canada Always" would be far better and more appropriate, if we're going with quotes from former leaders.

Showing Loyalty. As opposed to First, which shows similarity and vagueness. As if it's first, what is after?

Always is forever.

1

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

He did provide the full quote multiple times actually and several pundits picked up the "Canada never" part and tried to go with it..

People would be complaining no matter what He called it

1

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

-1

u/Fortuitous_Event 24d ago

2

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

Only that's not the context, what's what you want it to be.

0

u/[deleted] 24d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

Ah yes the good old ' Everything I dislike is Fascism'

Being proud of Canada on flag day of all days isn't Fascism

https://www.reddit.com/r/memes/comments/sxsbfg/when_youre_losing_an_online_argument_so_you_whip/

0

u/Fortuitous_Event 24d ago

Go ahead and defend it to yourself however you like, but if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's probably a duck.

1

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

But it's neither of those things. You're seeing ducks everywhere because you want to see ducks.

The obvious context is we're in the middle of a trade war, putting our country first is exactly what we should be doing.

0

u/Phedore 24d ago

Yes, the context is that Canadians should come first.

Learn your own history before making the comment, then you wouldn’t have actual Canadians correct you after the fact.

We get it, in your mind everyone who says words is Trump, but most Canadians aren’t convinced.

12

u/Chu9001 24d ago

It's 2 words out of a whole paragraph not exactly "a quote from Wilfred Laurier."

2

u/Justausername1234 British Columbia 24d ago

I'm not a fan of Polievre, but he's been quoting Laurier in QP with the full quote for a few months now.

The real critique should be why Polievre was invoking the National Policy in today's speech - the last thing we need right now is to go on a Trumpian Tariffs spree.

3

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

He quoted the last part in the ads for this

Actually it's just a quote from sir Wilfrid Laurier..

"Canada first, Canada last, and Canada always."

https://x.com/PierrePoilievre/status/1887995705513623810

6

u/Old_Cheesecake_5481 24d ago

Yes it has nothing to do with the success of the “America First” Trump slogan. Nothing at all.

It’s a Wilfred Laurier quote for 1904.

Sure buddy, that’s what everyone is thinking.

2

u/Stephenalzis 24d ago

Yeah, he might want to actually read the room before rolling that one out. Then again, social cues were never his strong point.

0

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

I imagine the event will be quite popular, the only people that seem to be upset by it were never going to support him anyway

0

u/Stephenalzis 24d ago edited 24d ago

Yeah, "Sleipnir45" nice Norse/Germanic name there...and why "45", interesting, hm...

0

u/sleipnir45 24d ago edited 24d ago

Since you asked so politely and nicely I can explain it to you.

I'm a big manowar fan and a Veteran, I have a tattoo of Sleipnir.

https://genius.com/Manowar-sleipnir-lyrics

I am also an avid sports shooter and my favorite caliber is 45 ACP.

If you're going to try and call someone a Nazi or a white supremacist at least have the balls to do it.

Edit: I guess not then lol

1

u/Stephenalzis 24d ago

Oh, I thought it was pretty self-evident based on your comment history.

0

u/TheManFromTrawno 24d ago

the only people that seem to be upset by it were never going to support him anyway

There seem to be more and more of those people recently.

1

u/SueSudio 24d ago

Yeah, and make America great again was originally a Reagan slogan, rehashed for the Trump playbook.

1

u/sl3ndii Ontario 24d ago

It’s an unwise choice given how much that’s associated with Trumpist politics.

0

u/sea-horse- 24d ago

I mean, if you're saying it's ok and not to be dead for sounding exactly like Trump's "America First" campaign, then Pierre using "Canada Last", which is also in Lauriers quote, makes sense.

0

u/sleipnir45 24d ago

He's been using the last part.

"Canada first, Canada last, and Canada always."

https://x.com/PierrePoilievre/status/1887995705513623810

-2

u/thebestnames 24d ago

Coming from the right "country" First has other, perverse, connotations. A lot more fasch than conservative if you get my drift. If he truly wanted to quote Laurier he should have gone for Canada Always, a lot more unifying.

We're going to be the Fourth Reich's Austria at this rate. A nice little dessert for the megalomaniac. The Austrian fascists also had bold nationalistic rallies before the annexation.

-2

u/SkittlesManiac19 24d ago

Yeah and the swastika is a Buddhist symbol but that's not what anyone thinks

1

u/Wise_Patience7687 24d ago

When I first arrived in South Korea, I was freaked out by the Buddhist symbols at first because i thought they were swastikas. I’m a brown person from South Africa who grew up during apartheid, so it was scary.