Poilievre, bread and butter
Also: Ottawa becomes fly-over country; Boondoggle doesn't happen
Probably enough ballots have already been mailed in the Conservative leadership race to make Pierre Poilievre the next leader. His days now are a mix of get-out-the-vote events to seal the deal, and public statements that are best read as an attempt to frame the next fight, the general election of 2023 or 4 or 5.
Poilievre presents himself as his own man, unswayed by adversaries or events. But lately he’s spent part of his time playing defense, with some agility. Two Harper-era cabinet ministers from Quebec endorse Jean Charest? Poilievre gives interviews to a Montreal newspaper and a Quebec City talk-radio station. A bunch of centrist conservatives gather in Edmonton to complain that the party is ignoring the economy? Poilievre pushes out lots of economic policy. I can’t give you a single link there because he’s been doing a lot of that.
Poilievre also shook some goof’s hand in Dartmouth the other day, and I’m sure there’ll be a robust discussion of that moment’s significance. I’ll let that conversation take place somewhere else, though. Today we’re going to look at what the candidate wants to say for himself, using his chosen methods and outlets.
The short version: I heard more about the economy last week from Pierre Poilievre than from Chrystia Freeland. He’s also been asserting his comfort on what could perhaps be called “centre ice.” Let’s look at his proposals in detail.