20 Comments
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Martin Partridge's avatar

This column indeed reflects what history will record.

The 2025 federal election has been about competence and thoughtfulness as opposed to dubious credentials, unpalatable policies, and blind aggression.

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Wayne Dagenais's avatar

Thanks. I enjoy your YouTube appearances and commentary as well.

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Mike's avatar

Thank you for this post, I am a big fan! You are missed on Good Talk, though I get that your new partisan role necessitated the step back.

If I could suggest a few additional concerning similarities:

- both vilify their political opponents as enemies, which leads to a toxic polarization that undermines the very fabric of our democracy

- both routinely assault the impartiality of the public service, another key pillar of a functioning democracy

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Janet Wilson's avatar

And they assault the media, undermining the ability of people to critically assess information, and thwarting their access to information...not to say the truth.

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Frances Smith's avatar

Thanks for this insightful article! Living in Ottawa, I have seen and heard many of Poilievre’s commercials and rants. His unending rant that all of the ills in Canada was Justin Trudeau’s fault, regardless of the fallout from the pandemic, the world wide economic uncertainty post pandemic and continuous negative messaging about our country.

I want some hope and to be able to believe that politicians from all parties can work together to protect and promote our country

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Terra Incognita's avatar

PP and his voters are such disgusting PoS.

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Ken Fisher's avatar

The Bridge? After Monday? Can't wait!

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Janet Wilson's avatar

The Conservatives need to get a new leader. One who has more to offer than insults, slurs, lies and bad table manners...

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OriginalKaDs's avatar

If they find someone charismatic, we risk actually having a Conservative win.

THAT CANNOT HAPPEN, as long as they are connected to the IDU. They are the true threat and they control the CPC. Even with PP gone, Stephen Harper, Doug Ford and Scott Moe are still member. Danielle Smith has connections to Harper as well, hence why she gave him control of Alberta’s CPP

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Art Harrison's avatar

This is a comment well after the fact but I couldn’t help it. I am sooo glad that we did not have the misfortune to elect this man who, so obviously, cannot comfortably eat an apple. There’s something wrong with him.

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Sherri Somerville's avatar

That whole eating an apple while speaking is such a ploy. It’s used in film all the time. It’s deliberate and whoever told Pierre Poilievre it was a good idea should be fired. Eating an apple while answering questions implies arrogant superiority and an attitude that the questions being asked are foolish and a waste of time. A very un-Canadian thing for a politician to do. And really rude. What a turn off. Badly done PeePee.

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Caroline's avatar

Leaving this comment post election and first ministers meeting.Looks like Canadians saw what you saw then.

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Edward Peter McKinney's avatar

Looks like the pollsters got everything wrong. Con pickups in Atlantic Canada? What a miss!

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Musings From Ignored Canada's avatar

The LPC is just like the rock group Van Halen, they replaced the front man but the band, roadies, and producers are still the same. In what planet do you think that Carney will be able or allowed to guide the supertanker that is the Liberal Party of Canada on the path to make Canada a more resilient and independent nation. I fear more of the same gruel of words not deeds, indecision not action, rhetoric not sincerity. I'll be happy to be proved wrong but I am not holding my breath.

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Janet Wilson's avatar

You forget that "the supertanker" managed to sight the Trump iceberg just in time...the big question here is will angry Conservatives do what Republicans are so famous for, which is to frustrate every positive action of the sitting government, just to be spiteful. Let us hope they realize what peril we are in and think of country first.

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Dale R. Partridge's avatar

While I agree with Mr. Anderson's cautions, my major concern has now turned to "who is the man I voted for?" For me, that was Mr. Carney. Wow, I was so relieved. "Not a politician", motivated by values and convinced that our country can 'work for all of us'. I got his book, looked at his pre-'politics' speeches and thought, yes, a serious man with a very serious resume in the black arts of capitalism and accustomed to being in the company of other serious people in really serious boardrooms overflowing with power and influence - huh, Ottawa will get under control and Canadians will be served as we deserve. Then all of a sudden, Mr. Carney is hyping the virtues of the very party that had helped bring our country to its current dilemma, he's smirking as he rips off another barbed one-liner or lands a personal attack of another person seeking office, laughing with Mike Myers about our whole situation and revelling in the same kind of cheap adoration that fueled Mr. Trudeau's long reign: what the hell did I do? Of course, I forgot that the Liberal Party of Canada will do anything to stay in power. I forgot that politics is the game for egotists and elites who crave, love and abuse power. I forgot that the only people who have the same depth of disgust for politicians are the people who come to disgust the very people who elect them. Imagine, here we are facing the potential redefinition of international trade and democracy's future, while the climate continues to demonstrate its wrath, with some 600 independent indigenous nations reestablishing their languages and cultures within the same borders that 13 provinces and territories can't manage themselves because we insist that our historic and regional values and priorities mean something, while denying our pompous promises for 'reconciliation' - yet our political leaders want to simply trade wise cracks with each other. Oh Canada, did I ever waste my money, my time, my heart-felt endorsements and my spiritual awakening in thinking that something serious could happen. Mr. Carney you broke my heart. Mr. Anderson, it's said the fish don't see the water. What don't politicians see? What don't voters see? Regardless, we seem to be drowning in it. Dale Partridge.... Nanaimo, BC

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Michiel Vos's avatar

I think this is more an analysis of what you want to believe rather than what actually is. I am too new to Canada to truly understand the deep sentiment between conservative and liberal ideologies here, but one thing is clear: Poilievre and the Conservatives are not fascists, and not fair to compare in any form. Equating a center-right politician and party to fascism — which is Trump and what is happening across the border — without addressing the ideological flaws and massive policy failures by the Liberals over the past 10 years (which is really the core issue, as everything else in Canada is going fairly well) is essentially moving the goalposts and missing the true threats to Canadian democracy.

This type of thinking is what creates the feeding grounds for demagogues to rise, as we have seen in the United States. Carney represents a more centrist political force and, in another universe, could even be part of the Conservatives — which is a positive development and he sure likes their ideas, which is great for the country as a whole.

I hope people reflect on Monday about what is best for the economy and country and make the right decision, and that the few who have benefited from the policy failures of the past 10 years do not selfishly focus only on their capital gains which they benefited massively under the Liberals.

In short, I respectfully disagree with your analysis :)

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Terry Quinn's avatar

The ten years of "liberal failure" include almost three years of dealing with the pandemic and it's after effects. The only ideals I've seen from Canada's conservatives are attack dog policies. Their proposal to run Canada for the next four years was filled with pictures of their leader. Who does that remind you of? I am a liberal but strongly believe in the exchange of ideas, but the CPC leader restricts the main stream media and openly supports groups that despise our democracy and freedom. Their goal is to kill our charter of rights and freedoms.

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Parker Donham's avatar

You are gaslighting here. Poilievre has been aping MAGA in tone and policy for more than a decade, and only charged course when Trump launched his deranged attacks on Canada, and Poilievre realized how unpopular these approaches are in Canada.

I don't think Poilievte is fascist, but he is the latest in a series of Conservative Party leaders attempting to nationalize the regional grievances of provinces beholden to the US oil industry.

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Mike's avatar

Actually, ignoring the clear signs of authoritarianism is what allows demagogues to rise. Canada was sleepwalking toward the same cliff our friends to the South have fallen over, because too many refuse to see what is plainly before us when it comes to the Reformers and their tactics/ambitions.

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