Poilievre says don’t expect problems to be fixed ‘instantaneously’

Article content

OTTAWA — Even before Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre gets a chance at possibly forming Canada’s next government, he’s warning supporters that implementing his agenda will be a challenge.

Article content

Article content

Poilievre, who enters an election year riding high in public opinion polls at the same time that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s days appear to be increasingly numbered, outlined the challenges he believes a future Conservative government would face in an interview with popular right-wing podcast host and author Jordan Peterson.

Article content

The 90-minute interview marks the second lengthy sit-down Poilievre has given to Peterson, with the first recorded during his run for the Conservative party leadership back in 2022.

The pair enjoy a friendly relationship with overlapping audiences, particularly when it comes to young men. Peterson has extolled Poilievre’s brand of conservativism and communications style and Poilievre has touted Peterson’s 2018 book 12 Rules for Life and ended their most recent conversation by commending Peterson’s legal fight with the College of Psychologists of Ontario.

More than an hour into their conversation, Peterson asked Poilievre about his plan should his party form the next government.

After listing off familiar promises, which include slashing federal spending on consultants as well as funding that goes to “corporate welfare,” and cutting “foreign aid,” Poilievre told Peterson he anticipates doing so will be a challenge.

“It’s going to be a big fight with all of these things because there are so many vested interests that will be trying to hold us back,” he says.

Article content

Article content

“So many small economic groups that have profited off the status quo, they will be fighting against me.”

He continues: “I’m going to have to put out a call to Canadians that they have to stay politically active, they can’t assume that by simply voting in an election that everything is going to — all the problems are going to reverse instantaneously.”

Poilievre also keeps a list of who he believes could be a thorn in a future Conservative government’s side.

“I will need people to put pressure on the Senate to adopt my economic reforms. I will need people to put pressure on their mayors and local councillors and let us build homes. I will need businesses to actually do their part.”

After a comment by Peterson about oil and gas companies toeing what he called the “green line,” Poilievre did not mince words, calling them “idiots.”

“The big five oil and gas companies in Canada have idiot lobbyists.”

Looking ahead to a future mandate, Poilievre promised that should Conservatives win the next election, Canadians can expect a “rapid introduction of the biggest crackdown on crime in Canadian history.”

Article content

“A massive crackdown,” said Poilievre.

Asked what that could look like, he said it means that those who are repeat offenders will be not released from jail.

Trudeau’s government has also sought to tackle concerns raised by premiers and police chiefs about the prevalence of violent repeat offenders by introducing a series of bail reforms to the Criminal Code last year, changes Poilievre has panned as not going far enough.

Next to prosecuting Trudeau’s record on the cost of living, Poilievre has poured his time into trying to convince Canadians that the anxieties they feel about crime and disorder in their cities, ranging from an increase in auto thefts and random violence on public transit, to open drug use and more visible homeless encampments, are the fault of Trudeau’s government.

Successive public opinion polling shows Poilievre’s strategy appears to be working, with him crediting the message discipline expected from his MPs.

“We’ve been acting in unison and I think that’s why our message is pumping out so clearly to people,” said Poilievre.

“It’s not a cacophony of sound, it’s a clear drum beat and that’s why people are hearing and appreciating our message.”

Article content

Critics, including Liberals, often say Poilievre’s hyper-focus on slogans and messaging is a sign he lacks substance when it comes actual policy.

In terms of what a future Conservative would do, Poilievre said his vow to “axe” the consumer carbon price remains a priority.

“It’s been kind of an epic commitment that I’ve made — it’s iconic,” said Poilievre. “I have to follow through on it immediately and that will signal to the country that I’m serious.”

Eliminating the GST on new homes is also a priority, he said, as is getting cities to speed up housing construction by threatening to withhold federal infrastructure money if they fail to meet their targets.

Conservative MPs such as Andrew Scheer, who serves as the party’s house leader in Parliament, Melissa Lantsman, one of its deputy leaders, and Ontario MP Jamil Jivani were all names Poilievre rattled off when asked by Peterson about how he is building a strong team.

He also told Peterson he has no intention of following in the footsteps of conservative parties around the world that, according to the pair, have a habit of  trying to embrace left-wing policies — or, as Poilievre puts it, “socialist” policies — once they arrive in office.

Article content

“I’m not going to do that,” Poilievre said.

“This is the mistake that conservative parties around the world have made countless times. They think, ‘Well, anybody who’s got a conservative mindset is already voting for me so I can go off and chase the ideas of my political opponents and then everyone will love me because I’ll have the conservatives due to the fact I have the name ‘Conservative’ and these other people because I’ve embraced their contrary direction.’”

While Poilievre said he believes it’s tempting to do in the short term, it winds up being a “disaster” when it comes to policies.

National Post
staylor@postmedia.com

Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what’s really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here.

Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our politics newsletter, First Reading, here.

Article content