Pierre Poilievre is seated in front of a bookcase where family photos are placed. He speaks in a moderate tone to the sound of a melody as relaxing as that of a spa.
Posted at 5:00 a.m.
No, the staging of this video that the federal MP posted online to launch himself into the race for the leadership of the Conservative Party is nothing like a boxing ring, even if he skillfully strikes on several sensitive cords of the population: inflation that erodes purchasing power, soaring house prices, excessively high taxes, etc.
But no one has any illusions so much this measured posture contrasts with the usual style of Mr. Poilievre.
Under the hood, it smokes like hell.
Question periods in the House of Commons have proven that the Ontario MP never hesitates to drop the gloves. Known for his snappy tone, he is a master of the “clip” that kills. It was he who launched the shock formula “Justinflation” to attack the immoderate spending of the Trudeau government.
It’s fair game.
Except that on COVID-19, Mr. Poilievre has taken radical positions that discredit him and leave little hope for this libertarian’s ability to get closer to the more central conservatives he would need in order to win elections.
From the outset, Mr. Poilievre was one of the strongest supporters of the “freedom convoy”, launching a petition against compulsory vaccination, the vaccine passport and health measures.
We know the rest.
Ottawa residents desperate after three weeks of an unacceptable siege, businesses crippled by the blockage of a vital bridge between Canada and the United States, democracy challenged by extremists – some armed to the teeth.
In this painful episode in Canadian history, Mr. Poiliviere was on the wrong side of the fence, when the Conservatives are normally the defenders of law and order.
But after two years of the pandemic, it’s tempting to fuel the population for quick political advantage, as evidenced by Mr. Poilievre’s popularity.
It is true that the breeding ground for populism is more fertile in the rest of Canada, where social inequalities are greater and citizens see themselves less in institutions. On the Prairies, resentment toward Ottawa has long been fueled by feelings of injustice against equalization and the fury of the oil industry over measures to fight climate change.
But the populist movement also resonates in Quebec, to see a Léger poll which this week placed the Conservative Party of Éric Duhaime in second position among French-speaking Quebecers. With 14% of voting intentions, a big jump of 9 points since December, it now exceeds the Parti Québécois and Québec solidaire.
Mr. Duhaime has always thrived on controversy. A radio host, he was not shy about denigrating women’s car driving or making fun of the environment by boasting that he threw everything in the trash.
Even today, he is in the show, as demonstrated by the choice of his very first candidate, the actress Anne Casabonne, who made scatological remarks on vaccination.
By hitting on the nail of the sanitary measures, Mr. Duhaime scores points in the short term by channeling the frustration of the citizens, both on the left and on the right. But this heterogeneous base is likely to disappear quickly with the pandemic.
It is regrettable that Mr. Duhaime did not choose a more solid path to put a classic conservative party back on track, with strong right-wing positions that would have had the merit of broadening the political debate. For example, the role that the private sector can play in an overhaul of the health system is a question that deserves to be debated.
On the federal scene, it is also unfortunate that the Conservatives are tearing each other apart instead of fully playing their role. Voters deserve less caricatural, less divisive conservatives.
The role of the major national parties is to find common ground to unite all Canadians. To build political platforms that can bridge the gaps between citizens and build bridges across divides.
But at the moment, the risks of schism that threaten the party are rather a reflection of the divisions of the country.
It is to be hoped that another leadership candidate closer to the center will succeed in rallying the troops, where Erin O’Toole failed, he who promised one thing and its opposite, depending on the province where he was, creating everywhere dissatisfied people.
To broaden their base, the Conservatives could start by offering their membership cards for free, as the Liberals did to elect Justin Trudeau. The die-hards will have to agree to dilute their influence a little. But it is the price to pay to get closer to voters.