Or “How Pierre Poilievre Wants Us To Be Like The US”

Canada has a British style democracy, for all its faults. Ridings, MPs, three tiers of elected government, and some reasonably civil discourse within the the various legislative chambers. Sadly, the leader of the Official Opposition (Federal) seems to want to use a more US, combative style and has adopted the Trumpian way of doing things. That is to say whatever you want, regardless of how egregious your lie might be, or who you may hurt in the process, if you think it will buy you some extra votes.

The recent trauma about the Speaker of the house calling for a Ukrainian man to be “recognised” by Parliament as a war hero, when in fact he’d fought for the Nazis is a case in point. It was an awful error made by the Speaker, and he has rightly resigned. Understandably, Poilievre wants to make some political capital from this, even though the actions of the Speaker are not governed by the Prime Minister, but the lies he is speaking and writing, just one after another, are appalling. Outright lies, and he knows there is not a shred of truth to any of it. Poilievre’s party has joined in, too; it’s like having our own Dollar Store Trump, it really is.

Poilievre has also hitched his wagon to other egregious events in Canada. He’s supported the fools in the “convoy”, who claimed vaccine mandates were a problem but really wanted to overthrow an elected government, and now he’s siding with a lot of religious bigots who are claiming parental rights but are really speaking out against gay and trans people. It’ll be abortion next.

I think it’s sad that some Canadian politicians have chosen to follow the Trump playbook, and they’ll surely drag democracy down with them. Everything they do is in pursuit of their own personal aims and not those of the country as a whole.

Sad times, sad times indeed.