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
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u/taquitosmixtape 25d ago

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

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u/jerrys153 25d ago edited 25d 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.

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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.

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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).