Pierre Poilievre has led the Conservative Party since 2022; acronym leads polls for October parliamentary elections
leader of the Conservative Party of Canada (center-right), emerges as the favorite to take power in the country. The populist party is comfortably leading the polls for the legislative elections scheduled for October 20th.
Conservatives have 45% of voting intentions for the election. They are ahead of the Liberal Party, with 20%, which has governed Canada since 2015 under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The data is from Ipsos research (here is , PDF – 282 kB, in English).
Poilievre, 45, presents himself as a longtime conservative and defender of free markets and “responsibility of people in relation to their own future”. Born in Calgary, in the province of Alberta, he graduated in International Relations from the University of Calgary. He is married and has 2 children.
Scheduled for October, the elections could be brought forward if the functioning of the Canadian Parliament is hampered by a liberal minority government. Trudeau, who will remain in office until March 24, when the future party leader provisionally assumes the role of prime minister. Until then, the Legislature will be paralyzed.
Political career
Poilievre entered politics at the age of 25, in 2004, when he was elected for the first time. As an MP, he represented the Nepean-Carleton district of Ontario.
From 2006 to 2013 he also held parliamentary secretary positions under the administration of Prime Minister Stephen Harper (2006-2015). Then, in 2015, he served as Minister of Employment and Social Development.
From 2017 to 2021, Poilievre held the position of shadow minister – administered by the opposition to monitor the performance of the main minister – of Finance. He also briefly served as shadow minister for Jobs and Industry.
The peak came in 2022, when he was elected leader of the Conservative Party and, consequently, of the Opposition.
Over two decades in politics, Poilievre specialized in issues related to the cost of living in Canada.
Relationship with Donald Trump
Since Donald Trump’s election, the relationship between him and Poilievre has been marked by political respect, but the Republican’s expansionist speech has led to disagreements.
On December 6, the president-elect in an interview with American commentator Hugh Hewitt who “it will be very good” work with Poilievre.
The statement came before the announcement of Trudeau’s resignation. According to Trump, a victory for the Canadian conservative would leave “visions” from the USA and Canada “more aligned”.
On December 19, 2024, Trump, his suggestion to annex Canada as the 51st North American state In response, Poilievre to the channel CTV News that Canada will never be incorporated by the USA: “We have a heroic record, great people and a prosperous future ahead of us.”
Still in December, Trump threatened to tax 25% of products coming from Canada, especially in the steel and automobile sectors. The attempt at negotiations was the final straw for Justin Trudeau’s government. Therefore, Poilievre preferred do not position yourself. His party, the Liberals, proposes export tariffs or restricting the supply of oil and gas to the neighboring country in retaliation.
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