 "Focus on Pierre Poilievre as Canada searches for Trudeau’s replacement")
With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau having announced his resignation, and with an election likely to be called soon, attention now shifts to the future prime minister.
And in this race, Canada’s Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre emerges as the frontrunner, who is promising a return to “common sense politics”.
Poilievre’s political journey is noteworthy. By the age of 20, he had already crafted a vision for Canada’s future.
According to a BBC report, the leader - now 45 - laid out a low-tax, small government vision for the country in an essay contest on what he would do as prime minister.
“A dollar left in the hands of consumers and investors is more productive than a dollar spent by a politician,” he was quoted as saying.
Poilievre is now just one step closer to making his vision a reality.
For months, Poilievre’s Conservatives have maintained a significant lead over the struggling Liberals in national polls, indicating they could secure a majority government if an election were held today.
In response to Canadians frustrated by a sluggish economy and a housing affordability crisis, he presents an alternative to what he describes as Trudeau’s “authoritarian socialism.”
According to the BBC report, a victory would position him among a wave of right-wing populist leaders who have ousted incumbent governments in the West.
Though his rise has drawn comparisons to Donald Trump — earning him fans like Elon Musk and others within the US president-elect’s circle — Poilievre’s story is distinctly Canadian.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“I have always believed that it is voluntary generosity among family and community that are the greatest social safety net that we can ever have,” BBC quoted Poilievre as saying to Maclean’s Magazine in 2022, reflecting on his early life.
“That’s kind of my starting point,” he added.
As a teenager, Poilievre demonstrated an early passion for politics, canvassing for local Conservative candidates.
According to the BBC report, while studying international relations at the University of Calgary, he met Stockwell Day, a cabinet minister under former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
At that time, Day was vying for the leadership of the Canadian Alliance — a right-wing party with roots in Alberta that merged with the modern Conservative Party in 2003 — and recruited Poilievre to assist with campus outreach, added the report.
“He impressed me from the start,” Day told the BBC in an interview. “He seemed to be a level-headed guy, but full of energy and able to catch people’s attention,” added Day.
Day’s leadership bid was successful, and he headed to Ottawa with Poilievre as his assistant. One cold winter night, Poilievre entered Day’s office to seek his advice about the possibility of running for office.
In 2004, Poilievre won a seat in Ottawa at the age of 25, making him one of the youngest elected Conservatives at that time. He has held that seat ever since.
Poilievre’s journey to party leader
In Ottawa, Poilievre earned the nickname “Skippy” from both supporters and opponents, reflecting his youthful enthusiasm and sharp wit.
He built a reputation for being “highly combative and partisan”, BBC quoted Randy Besco, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Toronto, as saying.
Behind the closed doors of Conservative caucus meetings, Poilievre showed his diplomatic side, Day was quoted as saying.
“Pierre was always good at saying, ‘Okay, you know what? I hadn’t thought of that,’ or he would listen and say: ‘Have you thought of this?’” added Day.
Nonetheless, confrontational politics became a defining feature of Poilievre’s public persona. After assuming the role of Conservative leader in 2022, he frequently targeted Trudeau with sharp critiques to resonate with disillusioned voters.
This approach has occasionally gotten him into trouble. In April, he was expelled from the House of Commons for labeling the prime minister a “wacko.”
In June, Poilievre told the Montreal Gazette that he appreciates “straight talk.”
“I think when politesse is in conflict with the truth, I choose the truth,” BBC quoted him as saying. “I think we’ve been too polite for too long with our political class,” he added.
Poilievre’s combative style has proven divisive, with critics arguing that he oversimplifies complex issues for political advantage.
While Canadians have been receptive to the opposition leader’s message as a contrast to Trudeau’s progressive politics, recent polls indicate that just over half of them view him unfavorably, reported BBC.
Following Trudeau’s resignation announcement, Poilievre has had to refocus his strategy in preparation for the upcoming showdown with the next Liberal leader.
Poilievre on populism, immigration and Trump
According to the BBC report, the Conservative leader is viewed as a “soft” populist for his direct appeals to everyday Canadians and his critiques of establishment elites, including corporate Canada.
He supported the protesters of the 2021 “Freedom Convoy,” which paralysed Ottawa for weeks.
Poilievre has pledged to implement “the biggest crackdown on crime in Canadian history,” vowing to keep repeat offenders behind bars, added the report.
On social issues, he has been largely silent, a common stance among senior Conservatives who often see these topics as “losing issues.”
Although he voted against legalising gay marriage in the early 2000s, he recently stated it would remain legal “full stop” if he becomes prime minister. The Conservative Party does not support legislation to regulate abortion but allows MPs to vote freely on the matter.
“I would lead a small government that minds its own business,” Poilievre was quoted as saying in June.
Amid recent public debate on immigration, the Conservative Party has proposed tying newcomer levels to the number of new homes built and prioritising skilled workers. Poilievre’s wife, Anaida, arrived in Canada as a child refugee from Caracas, Venezuela.
The Conservative leader advocates for the integration of newcomers, arguing that Canada shouldn’t be a “hyphenated society.” He has also pledged to eliminate Trudeau’s national carbon pricing programme, claiming it burdens families, raising concerns about his approach to climate change, reported BBC.
With the threat of steep tariffs looming as Trump takes office, Poilievre has emphasised putting “Canada first” in response to Trump’s suggestion that Canada become the 51st US state.
Focusing primarily on domestic issues, Poilievre aims to restore “the Canadian dream,” rejecting what he sees as the “grandiosity” and “utopian wokeness” of the Trudeau era in favor of celebrating the strengths of ordinary Canadians.
With inputs from agencies
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