Chantal Hebert writes that Pierre Poilievre's performance has not been stellar. He appears to be taking the same road that his two predecessors took:
Nine months into his tenure, there is no denying that the latest CPC leader is having a measurable impact on Canada’s federal dynamics.
But is it the kind of impact the Conservatives need to return to the government benches? The early evidence suggests otherwise.
More so than its federal rivals, the Conservative party has tended, over the course of its history, to be beset by infighting.
If the past is any indication, it is only when the party succeeds in setting aside its internal divisions that it achieves its goal of forming government.
Brian Mulroney in 1984 and Stephen Harper in 2006 both managed to tick the box of party unity before leading the party to government.
But Poilievre doesn't unite people. He pisses them off:
If anything, fractures within the party have become deeper over the first months of his tenure.
Such divisions were on exhibit over the campaigns that led to Monday’s federal byelections.
The Manitoba riding of Portage-Lisgar was the scene of an ugly fratricidal war between Maxime Bernier’s breakaway party and the Poilievre forces. Meanwhile, in the Ontario riding of Oxford, part of the local CPC establishment campaigned for the Liberals.
While the Conservatives held both ridings, it did not make the kind of dent in Liberal support it will need if it is to win the next general election. Nor did its campaign project the image of a government-ready party. Settling scores, at just about any future cost to the party as exemplified by the battle against Bernier, seemed to be the only order of the day.
Increasingly these days, conservative insiders tend to be more critical of Poilievre’s approach than his Liberal, New Democrat and Bloc rivals.
Those critics include prospective star candidates who — only six months ago — were seriously thinking of running under the CPC banner.
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney spoke for many of them when he dismissed tactics to undermine the Liberal government and praised Trudeau’s leadership last week.
The Conservatives are incapable of pitching a big tent. They would rather have a pup tent in their own backyard.
Image: K9 Of Mine
14 comments:
I think one of the big mistakes Poilievre has made, Owen, is the belief that the politics of division work in the same way here as in the United States. Whether it's true or not, I like to think there are proportionately far fewer of the unhinged in Canada than in that benighted country.
Rage farmer Poilievre should consider cultivating a new crop.
Poilievre is following Donald Trump's playbook, Lorne. Let's hope Canadians realize that a Trump copycat should never become prime minister.
Harper understood that elections are won in the big cities. He rebranded the rural Reform party, kept his hayseed reactionaries on a tight leash, and made sure he had prominent city cabinet ministers - Baird, Oliver, Kenney, Moore, Kent, Raitt, etc. The current Cons just don't care about city issues, and PP hasn't done anything to change that. Until he does, the Cons will continue winning big in their rural Saskberta redoubt, while getting blanked in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. I can't say I'm disappointed.
Lil'PP is actually a Liberal-Party-saboteur, recruited years ago and then groomed (at a special secret spy training town in Ontario) to present as a CON.
;-)
I'm sure there are people who actually believe that, PoV.
The Federal Liberals ran one of the most racist election campaign ever seen during the Oxford by-election, according to an article posted by the CBC and local election veterans. Let's not pretend one party is the only one acting in a divisive manner.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/hamish-marshall-a1565b16_congratulations-to-my-friend-arpan-khanna-activity-7076960260812374017-Tgij?trk=public_profile_like_view
AN
That's what the Conservatives are claiming, AN.
Now you've got mayor Chow at the helm of Canada's largest city it seems that Canadians haven't soured on the left.
I'm not sure, Mound. John Tory and Doug Ford made it clear that they didn't want Chow to win. Perhaps they've soured on the Right.
Well, for years I have held the view that George W. Bush was an Al-Qaeda plant so PP as a Liberal plant is conceivable.
Poilievre makes a pretty good foil, jrk. But like his hero -- Mr. Trump -- he is his own worst enemy.
PP is not ready for prime time and never will be. Today or yesterday's paper reported PP told Trudeau to "butt out" in some disagreement in the Maritines. The guy doesn't have a clue. The subject is certainly within the perview of the P.M. and it is right he comments. There will be Constituional issues at play.
Its this type of thing PP is doing which just reinforces his image as a nasty piece of business who is looking for a quick headline. He's been in the leadership for some months now and his style is starting to wear thin. The first six months after a change, most people see it as positive but after the six months, the honey moon is over.
A little of Pierre goes a long way, e.a.f.
I'm not disappointed either, Cap. But the fact that Poilievre doesn't understand that dynamic says a great deal about who he is.
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