Cracks are showing in the Conservative Party of Canada. Stephanie Levitz and Rob Benzie report that:
A hint of a triumphal smirk crept across Justin Trudeau’s face as he launched a partisan salvo at his fiercest rival.
“Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada — no relation to the Progressive Conservatives of Ontario, sorry, that was a joke, you can chuckle — came out and said that this project was a waste of money,” Trudeau said April 21 as he touted massive federal and provincial subsidies for the Volkswagen “gigafactory” near London, Ont.
Just steps away, Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford chortled at the prime minister’s quip, and returned the favour when he took the stage at the St. Thomas railway museum, noting “who cares about the political stripes, this is about people.”
But the cosy encounter did expose the schism between the federal and provincial Conservatives that’s been exacerbated by Poilievre’s election last year.
It’s the realist versus the idealist; the pragmatist versus the ideologue.
Ontario's PCs are not enamored of Poilievre:
“Pierre’s never been in business, he has no experience negotiating a deal so he doesn’t understand that this is the way it works,” noted one provincial Tory, who like some others interviewed for this story, spoke confidentially in order to discuss internal deliberations.
The premier, a successful businessman who every day calls and texts dozens of people from all walks of life, has privately wondered why Poilievre is “so right wing” and uncompromising on issues ranging from the pandemic response to economic development.
The federal Conservatives are now a Western party:
Among the reasons Poilievre is so beloved by so many within the federal party is that he’s seen as true to their roots; he comes directly from the Reform/Alliance wing of the party.
Both before, during and after his successful run for leadership, he’s focused on the need to shrink government’s involvement in people’s lives, and indeed shrink the size of government overall. His current theme is around the need to remove so-called “gatekeepers,” who he argues stand in the way of economic prosperity for citizens.
Some federal Conservatives say while Ford may lead a “conservative” party, they view him as a political opportunist content to bask in the celebrity aura of the Trudeau Liberals without caring about the foundational political principles of their ideology.
Poilievre, they argue, would never do as Ford has done — boost program spending and run up massive budget deficits that eclipse those under his Liberal predecessor. Time will tell what happens between Poilievre and Ford.
But, before Poilievre goes full tilt against Trudeau, he should tend to his own house.
Image: The Toronto Star
10 comments:
"Poilievre, they argue, would never do as Ford has done — boost program spending and run up massive budget deficits that eclipse those under his Liberal predecessor." Yeah, right. PP was a cabinet minister of the Harper government that did exactly that.
The Conservatives have very selective memories, Cap.
Mr Polievre is right to criticize the Volkswagen deal. It is an example corporate welfare at its worst. What politician does not enjoy giving away other people's money? One upon a time we had an agreement called the Auto Pact. We didn't have to bribe companies to build their cars here. To summarize the agreement, if you wanted to sell a car in Canada, some or all of the car needed to be built here. I suspect Volkswagen will stay here until the subsidies run out, and then take a similar deal from some state south of the border and leave. Premier Ford just has to worry about Ontario voters while Mr Polievre leads a national party. There is a difference. AN
Things have changed from the Auto Pact days, AN. And those days aren't coming back.
Dear Owen, that is no excuse. This is "Progressive Bloggers" isn't it? What do you think Mr Tommy Douglas would have to say about this deal? The whole thing stinks, to use plain English. It is an egregious example of the taxpayer being hosed. I am appalled that right thinking people don't see this travesty for what it is. AN
Tommy Douglas agreed to public investment, AN. In the past, the government has invested in railroads, telecommunications, healthcare, etc. This investment is in future jobs, AN.
Canadians funded it .. the furor if Trudeau did not back the opportunity ? 🦎
There would be furor in the land if he didn't bring Volkswagen here, sal.
To your point Owen, Tommy Douglas invested in public works, not corporate welfare. AN
Douglas yes, AN. But other governments invested in private industry. Bill Davis invested in Suncor.
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