Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, has been making strides towards the position of Prime Minister of Canada. With all the resentment against Justin Trudeau that has been brewing in many Canadians for the past few years, Poilievre will not have a hard time winning the next election. In fact, according to Abacus Data, Conservatives are expected to win with a 20 point lead. But will he actually be any better than Trudeau, or will he leave Canada worse off? In this writer’s view, he will not be better; he will continue lying and pushing his own agenda onto the country. Unfortunately, politics on the federal level favour the two largest parties, the Liberals and the Conservatives, and it may seem like they are the only two options. After reading further, both of those options might look undesirable. This just goes to show how unfair the current system proves to be and how important electoral reform is in a so-called democratic society. But I digress.
The Tories are notorious for prioritizing large enterprises and promoting tax cuts, but as of late, Poilievre has been speaking out about the rising cost of groceries. “Under the conservative government, the price for a pound of turkey was $1.49, and [Loblaws] flyers today show that it’s $2.49, a 70% increase,” Poilievre said, just a few days before Thanksgiving. Interestingly enough, his own party may be responsible for that. Jenni Bryne, a key advisor and colleague of Poilievre, has been seen at caucus meetings amongst the most important Tories in Canada. Wouldn’t it be crazy if her firm works as lobbyists for Loblaws, the very company that Poilievre has been complaining about? Well do I have news for you! This insane conflict of interest has brought to light Poilievre’s hypocrisy, as well as possibly his largest flaw that most people seem to overlook; although it seems like he speaks on behalf of the majority of Canadians when he attacks Trudeau, he fails to criticize the enormous corporations and capitalists that are taking advantage of Canadians during these tough economic times.
Poilievre said that, if elected, he would launch a federal lawsuit against Big Pharma. It sounds very admirable and unexpected, coming from someone who has enjoyed government-funded health insurance since he was 24. Obviously, promising something and actually taking action are very different, and when Poilievre was given the opportunity to support the pharmacare bill proposed by the Minister of Health Mark Holland, he declined. No, he didn’t try to amend the bill, or provide another solution. Instead, he lies about the bill and claims that it will ban private workplace health coverage. This blatant fear-mongering is the reason why so many Canadians are flocking to his party and real progress isn’t happening in Ottawa. He’s saying exactly what people want to hear, even if it’s not true.
Moreover, one of the biggest problems Canada is currently facing is the housing crisis. Poilievre criticizes Trudeau on how he’s handling the crisis and, to be clear, the criticisms are warranted. The housing market is insane right now, and rent prices have skyrocketed. Poilievre loves to speak specifically about rent. In a crazy turn of events that everyone saw coming, he has consistently voted against motions to address the housing market. Furthermore, in an even bigger conflict of interest, according to PressProgress, the top executives of REITs (real estate investment trusts) which are companies that own large portions of real estate, happen to be some of the biggest donors for the Conservative Party. Poilievre is in bed with the same people he complains about. This is why the Tories don’t want the Liberals or NDP to do anything to fix the housing problem. They have to do it themselves and ensure their real estate buddies aren’t getting the short end of the stick. It doesn’t just end there, Poilievre also co-owns a real estate investment company in Calgary. So not only would rent control and protecting renters hurt mega corporations, it would also be taking money out of Poilievre’s own pocket. His voting history makes a lot more sense now when you understand that his personal interests are at stake.
Yes, housing was more affordable under Stephen Harper’s government, but it might not be only Trudeau’s fault this time. According to CMHC (Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation), Ontario saw a 36% decrease in housing starts (building new homes), whereas Manitoba and British Columbia had an increase of 17% and 11% respectively. What is the difference between the two? Manitoba and BC both have NDP leadership, recently passed a bill to increase affordable housing (Bill 44), and have governments that not only advocate, but also act fast to help the housing crisis. Ontario on the other hand has been struggling to do anything about the housing crisis since Ford’s Progressive Conservatives gained leadership. Now, does Poilievre address the provincial governments in provinces such as Ontario? No. He and Ford are in the same boat: both want to help their rich buddies, and both are looking to line their own pockets.
I think it’s clear where the loyalties of Poilievre lie. He wants to protect large corporations and hurt Canadians. He is a dishonest hypocrite, and he looks out for his donors and big businesses. In the face of Pierre Poilievre’s track record of self-serving actions and conflicts of interest, Canadians must think about the potential consequences of his ascension to power and question whether his leadership will truly serve the interests of the people.
THE NORTH STAR 