18 Comments

I don’t think this is a “problem” at all for Poilievre. It is a feature. It is 100% deliberate.

Of course there are the weak denials and whataboutthisisms with Trudeau shaking hands with somebody who turns out later to be not somebody you want to take a picture with. But taking your picture with somebody with a clear message printed on his T-shirt is entirely deliberate and a clear signal to the angry right wing voters that Poilievre is their man.

The second objective of these kind of events is to make sure that the public is talking about these issues. The Conservatives want Canadians to be angry and engaged in issues that have an emotional response. It is a cynical approach to politics and it can be quite effective.

Expand full comment
author

Given I wrote numerous times that I understand why he’s doing it I don’t need it explained to me that it’s deliberate

And just because he doesn’t think it’s a problem doesn’t mean it’s not one

Expand full comment

Oh, I agree with you it is a problem, but mostly because Poilievre sees it as an opportunity first and foremost. Maybe I should have phrased it that way.

While we both probably would like to live in a Canada where at least 95% of the population also sees this as problem, I am afraid it is only 60-70% that firmly believe that straight pride is a problem. And Poilievre is working hard to reduce that number to 50%.

Expand full comment

Sad isn’t it. The guy now is trying to look like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. But he’s still Polievre.

Expand full comment

A lot of people condemned this straight t-shirt because of which he had to apologise as well so this actually portrayed him in a bad light so how will this help him for election?? And also how will issues like this help conservatives? Won't these issues make people go against them since people are quite accepting of inclusivity and conservatives are going in the opposite direction by doing stuffs like this??

Expand full comment

Problem is our conservative media normalizes this crap repeating statements like '" takes hundreds of photos" or "didn't read the t shirt" and poof it's never heard from again. If this had been an incident involving Trudeau or Notley there would be full throated outrage for the entire 3 day news cycle.

Expand full comment
Jul 11, 2023·edited Jul 11, 2023

“If this really was 5% of the population, Poilievre would go on camera and slap it down repeatedly, because whatever he’d lose to the PPC he’d get back and then some on his left flank”

I think your arithmetic here needs two caveats.

The dedicated bigots might only be 5-10% of the general vote (personally I think it’s a bit higher), but they’re 35-40% of the CPC membership vote. You can’t maintain your leadership without at least their passive acceptance.

But even then there’s an issue of credibility lag. If you publicly support gay marriage you lose the support of the bigots right away. But it takes time before your support is seen as credible enough to gain you new voters.

It’s the issue the Conservatives have run into every recent election. They spend years pandering to their base, pivot to “respectable” positions for the writ period, then get mad that people try and reconcile the two positions.

So, regardless of what they actually believe, every conservative leader needs to balance losing the 10% bigot vote immediately vs gaining 20% centrist vote two years down the road. And if their leadership can survive the transition.

Expand full comment
Jul 11, 2023·edited Jul 11, 2023

How many white supremacists, MGTOW misogynists, and homophobes does Poilievre have to apologize for marching with, shaking hands with, taking photos with, smiling with before we understand Poilievre embraces all of it. Add to this his far right rant to his base. Poilievre thinks he's competing with Bernier who can't get anyone elected. He doesn't seem to understand he needs to appeal to moderates who are not going to enter a tent that includes neoNazi types.

Expand full comment

What remains of ‘MainStreamMedia’ must be recognized & divided into at least ‘two factions’ at this point..

into a ‘BigTent’ Partisan conglomeration.. willing partners of the Harper CPC & UCP & TBA in propaganda

& a much smaller ‘rump’ of actual ‘non partisan journalism’

My point ? Neither ‘Media’ has lifted a finger re what I called ‘the twin gooning’ by a ‘guerrilla team’

‘Eric’ & his shooter.. one of which presumably ‘shared’ the photos after gooning both Poilievre & wife

as well as Premier Danielle Smith.. by simply stalking them & their respective entourages

comprising ‘handlers, UCP or ‘TakeBackAlberta, security, local host associates

& now it seems have apparently also dazzled ‘MainMedia’ !

Our powerful & paid ‘Main Media’s’ look like simps.. bellingcat would have ID’d ‘Eric’

& his shooter as well as interpreted ‘their mission’ & if they are simply as you describe them

I had to point out ‘Eric’ was almost comically disguised with the all smiles Poilievre Family, minus children

Do I have to do a reverse image search ? Why not ‘Media’ ?

Expand full comment

FYI .. we now see a followup re ‘eric’ green t-shirt guy .. now has absolutely destroyed both Poilievre & Smith re whether they ‘read his t-shirt’

I just can’t determine if this is further proof of a ‘Media Gooning & Grift’ - ‘Performance’ or the guy is actually just a white supremacy advocate with ‘all the fixins’

Expand full comment

What followup happened?? Can you please explain the context of it?

Expand full comment

Hi Evan, there is indeed footage of Poilievre on camera, in a mainstream news conference, in English, voicing his support for LGBTQ+ people.

"The Ugandan law is outrageous and appalling. And we should continue to give refuge in Canada to gays, lesbians, LGBT people, who are persecuted abroad. I was proud to be part of a government who opened the door for people who were persecuted in that way and for those reasons to come to Canada and live in freedom.

My purpose is to make Canada the freest country in the world. Freedom for everybody: including gays and lesbians. Freedom to marry, start a family, raise kids. Freedom from bigotry and bashing. Freedom to be judged by personal character, not by group identity. Freedom to start a life and be judged on your merit. Freedom to get a good job, earn a good living, and live a good life.

That's why I wish everyone a happy Pride month, because that freedom is something all of us can take pride."

This is from Global News' report just this last month on June 2 titled: "Poilievre wishes ‘happy Pride month’ — but tight-lipped on joining celebrations"

Expand full comment

You could or should read Fred DeLorey’s substack ‘take’ re Poilievre ‘talk’ versus actually ‘Walking the Walk’ re queer folk

Its rather damning to say the least.. DeLorey is ‘Harper High Table - Old School Conservative’ and compatriot of Ray Novak, Nigel Wright, Jenni Byrne, Arthur Hamilton etc.. knows all about The Plymouth Brethren, Gerald Chipeur, Jonathan Denis, Jason Kenney - He’s also a guy who comprehends why Benjamin Perrin is easily & clinically decrying the idiocy of Pierre Poilievre & Danielle Smith re Legal Clean Injection versus ‘their Alberta Model’

Expand full comment

I think poilievre is still a bit accepting of gays and lesbians thanks to his dad but he definitely doesn't like trans folks, he even excluded them while talking about pride month which is really sad

Expand full comment

Unfortunately, you are right. However, the most unfortunate is to see him playing him both ways and having media just push the statement from the spoke person after

Expand full comment

"He is but yet another in a long list of people who have lost the argument in this country against progress and justice." Yes gay marriage and better integration of LGB people with the recently renamed heterosexual world has been no problem. But integrating Drag Queen story hour, young kids, and the radical remaking of schools as platforms to facilitate gender transitioning of young people, is another story altogether. That issue is generating major controversy as it should. See https://anthonyjhall.substack.com/p/cant-we-do-better-than-net-zero

Expand full comment

Much of this muckraking is bullshit. Proven by the steroid-ridden lowlife that harassed a nine-year-old girl at a soccer match demanding she prove she had a vagina. Misogyny is a feature of the anti-trans bigotry. They have a specific view of what a woman should be, how she should look. These lowlifes call born females men now. Pink the rock star is being accused of being a man because she has 6-pack abs. They are unhinged.

Expand full comment

perhaps you should include a ‘Disclaimer’ eh ? About what happens if people like me click on the link provided

I felt like I needed a long shower after reading ‘only 2/3rds of it

Expand full comment