Pierre Poilievre is Big Oil’s "useful idiot"

Journalist and political commentator Tyler Noakes writes that:

"With an inner circle stacked with fossil fuel lobbyists, it’s no wonder that Pierre Poilievre voted against the environment 400 times."

Key takeaways:

• Pierre Poilievre has voted against environmental protections more than 400 times over his 20-year career. He supports removing oversight and climate rules that hold oil and gas companies accountable.

  
  

• Poilievre’s political inner circle, and senior members of the Conservative Party National Council, includes fossil fuel lobbyists and other corporate lobbyists.

  
  

• While Poilievre claims to represent everyday Canadians, his actions show strong ties to Big Oil, which will impede Canada’s shift to clean energy.

You can read Noakes' full article here: Pierre Poilievre is Big Oil’s useful idiot.

NY Times: "Outside His Political Base, a Canadian’s Trumpian Pitch Is a Harder Sell"

A recent New York Times article titled, Outside His Political Base, a Canadian’s Trumpian Pitch Is a Harder Sell, questions whether Canadians outside of Alberta and the Prairies are buying Poilievre's "anti-woke" Trump-ish agenda.

Key takeaways:

• Poilievre’s populist message is popular in Alberta and Saskatchewan but is seen as too similar to Donald Trump by voters in key battleground provinces like Ontario and Quebec. This makes it harder for him to grow support beyond his political base.

  
  

• Poilievre’s positions—like defunding the CBC, cutting foreign aid, and opposing “woke” policies—energize his base but are seen as extreme by moderates. His ties to Trump-style politics are a growing concern for many Canadians.

  
  

• Prominent Conservative leaders in Ontario and Alberta are divided on supporting Poilievre, and some are actively distancing themselves. This internal split is hurting his chances of forming a national coalition.

You can read the full NY Times article here: Outside His Political Base, a Canadian’s Trumpian Pitch Is a Harder Sell.

Poilievre’s Pledge to Cut “Woke” Research Funding Raises Concerns

Key takeaways:

• Pierre Poilievre has promised to cut federal funding for university research he believes is influenced by what he calls “woke ideology,” but has not said how that would be judged or who would decide.

  
  

• A group representing 8,000 professors from 18 Quebec universities says this promise threatens academic freedom and could stop research on important social topics.

  
  

• Experts say “woke” is often used to dismiss research that supports diversity, equality, or social justice, raising concerns about political interference in research.

A group representing more than 8,000 professors and 18 universities across Quebec are raising concerns about a new campaign promise from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. In his Quebec platform, released in late March, Poilievre pledged to stop federal funding for university research he believes is influenced by “woke ideology.”

The promise was part of a larger plan Poilievre presented while campaigning in Quebec. He said his government would remove what he calls “woke influence” from both the civil service and research funding. However, he did not explain what research would be affected or how funding decisions would be made.

The Fédération québécoise des professeures et professeurs d’université (FQPPU), which represents more than 8,000 professors at 18 universities across the province, said this could threaten academic freedom. The group’s president, Madeleine Pastinelli, said the pledge is alarming and could limit researchers’ ability to explore important issues.

Experts say the term “woke” is often used in a negative way to describe people or research that supports social justice, equality, or diversity. In 2023, Poilievre said “woke” ideas divide people by race, gender, religion, or other factors.

Sources:

https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/article850096.html