Dear Editor:
Do Canadians really need another political leader who tries to swagger like a bully? Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is talking tough about Trump, but I find it difficult to give much credence to his makeover.
After all, since cozying up for selfies with the protestors besieging Ottawa during COVID, Poilievre has eagerly echoed MAGA talking points. Until his recent course correction he was apparently quite content to be associated with Trump’s populism and to receive enthusiastic approval from his American sycophants and erstwhile Canadian fans.
The fact that Poilievre remains the darling of Postmedia’s newspapers, including the National Post, Financial Post, Ottawa Citizen and Toronto Sun, provides me little reassurance, given that Chatham Asset Management, a New Jersey hedge fund, owns a majority and controlling stake in Postmedia and is well-known for its Republican leanings.
In a January speech Poilievre forcefully asserted that “Israel has friends, as do the Jewish people – friends that will stand through thick and thin … not equivocating, not speaking out of both sides of our mouth.” How does his public support from Elon Musk and other far-right mouthpieces align with those words?
If Poilievre demands unwavering moral clarity from others, why has he not applied the same standard to himself? If “not equivocating” means taking an authentic stand against antisemitism, why has he failed to unmistakably repudiate the endorsement of Musk, a man whose platform is widely criticized for amplifying extremist and antisemitic voices, and who has publicly supported far-right parties in Europe, stating that “only the AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) can save Germany,” an extremist party riddled with antisemitism and Holocaust denial.
Far from distancing himself, when asked publicly about Musk’s support, Poilievre responded by expressing interest in Musk investing in Canada. Sadly, Poilievre seems quite capable of speaking from both sides of his mouth when it advances his political goals. Why should his political chameleon act be trusted?
How believable is your leader’s sudden realignment, Wellington-Halton Hills MP Michael Chong? How far is your party prepared to distance itself from our southern neighbour’s grievance politics? And if Poilievre’s change of heart is sincere, what does that say about his judgement in tagging along with his American populist counterparts until just a couple of months ago? Was he so oblivious to Trump’s intentions? Or was that purely political opportunism?
Bombast and posturing are not going to dissuade the bloviating, venal narcissist occupying the White House. Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s efforts have shown us that. Resolve, resilience and creativity may have a better chance at preserving Canadian sovereignty.
Meanwhile Canadians deserve leadership genuinely rooted in moral clarity, the courage to confront injustice and an unwavering commitment to human dignity, not leadership consisting of empty bravado.
In my opinion, Poilievre’s apparent moral ambiguity should be disqualifying, no matter how “tough” he claims to be today.
Jonathan Schmidt,
Elora