The attacks come fast and furious from Justin Trudeau and Jagmeet Singh. With Pierre Poilievre’s popularity surging, the desperate leaders peddle conspiracy theories to undermine his momentum. But their deceitful ploys only boost Poilievre as he exposes their hypocrisy.
Singh accused a Conservative MP of conflicting grocery industry ties. But Poilievre revealed Singh’s real conflict – living lavishly while claiming to champion average Canadians.
Trudeau alleged Poilievre’s advisor lobbies for a grocery chain. But his own government has deep corporate ties. Poilievre called out Trudeau’s hypocrisy.
The governing parties have real scandals, from ArriveCan to SNC Lavalin to many more. But they can’t find anything of the sort on Poilievre. So they resort to lying.
Poilievre has pulled back the curtain on the government’s transparent ploys. From questioning Trudeau’s failures in Parliament to demanding evidence for lobbying claims, Poilievre has exposed their desperation along with their indifference to voters’ true priorities. As the next election draws near, Trudeau and Singh’s strategy may prove to be their undoing.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh seem to be getting desperate in their attempts to discredit Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. Over the past week, both have peddled misleading accusations and conspiracy theories aimed at undercutting Poilievre’s growing popularity with Canadian voters. However, their tactics appear to be backfiring.
The most egregious example came from Singh, who took to Twitter to accuse longtime Conservative MP Scott Reid of having “deep ties to Corporate Grocery that has profited millions.” Singh was referring to Reid’s family ownership stake in the discount retail chain Giant Tiger. He claimed a conflict of interest ruling prevented Reid from voting on Singh’s bill to “lower grocery prices.”
However, Singh’s characterization was false. Reid’s ownership stake has been publicly disclosed for years. He proactively informed the Ethics Commissioner and has complied with all requirements. Moreover, painting Giant Tiger as a villain in high grocery prices is completely misguided. As a discount retailer catering to low and middle-income shoppers, Giant Tiger helps bring more competition and lower prices.
Poilievre quickly fired back at Singh, calling him a hypocrite for attacking a Canadian family business that competes with large chains to offer consumers savings. Poilievre pointed out the absurdity of a man who wears expensive custom suits and Rolex watches claiming a discount retailer is profiteering. The facts clearly show Singh peddled a conspiracy theory for political gain.
Meanwhile, Trudeau has fixated on Jenni Byrne, claiming Poilievre’s top advisor works as a lobbyist for Loblaw, one of Canada’s largest grocery retailers. However, the accusations are false. Byrne does not work for Loblaw in any capacity. Her firm has not done any federal lobbying work for Loblaw. Trudeau’s claims are patently untrue, yet he continues repeating them.
When Poilievre has asked about pressing issues like auto theft, Trudeau has pivoted to Byrne and Loblaw. Even when Poilievre pointed out that several current and former Trudeau aides have actually lobbied for Loblaw, Trudeau won’t relent. He is desperately trying to draw connections between Poilievre and rising grocery costs, no matter how tenuous.
Canadians have taken notice of these antics. Recent polling by Abacus Data shows the Liberal attacks are falling flat with voters. The Conservatives have opened up a 19-point lead over the Liberals, 43% to 24%. Trudeau’s approval rating has dropped 4 points, with 59% now disapproving of his government’s performance.
The poll also asked Canadians about their perceptions of Trudeau’s government. Over 40% said the Liberals are “not at all” focused on the right priorities, listen to Canadians, or are transparent and accountable. The data reveals the extent to which Trudeau has lost the public’s trust.
Since late January, Trudeau and the Liberals have ramped up their vitriol towards Poilievre. They’ve tried to paint him as an extremist aligned with right-wing media figures. They’ve suggested he doesn’t care about transgender youth. And they’ve accused him of supporting Vladimir Putin over Ukraine.
At every turn, Poilievre and the Conservatives have punched back against the ridiculous accusations. When the Liberals introduced a plan to address auto theft, Poilievre one-upped them by releasing his own plan first. He has exposed the government’s efforts to divide Canadians and distract from pressing economic issues.
The Abacus poll underscores that Trudeau and the Liberals are badly misreading the public mood. With inflation squeezing household budgets and the Bank of Canada aggressively hiking interest rates, people want substantive solutions from their government. Instead, Trudeau is throwing accusatory rhetoric at his critics.
After more than eight years leading Canada, Trudeau has simply worn out his welcome with a majority of voters. They see his government as tired, out-of-touch and lacking accountability. No amount of attacks on Poilievre can change this perception. Trudeau himself acknowledged that polls fluctuate, but the trends are decisively negative for his Liberals.
Rather than address problems like inflation and unaffordable housing, the Liberals are manufacturing conspiracy theories about grocery chains and advisor lobbying. Canadians deserve better from their government. Poilievre and the Conservatives seem to understand this. They are focused on kitchen table issues that impact people’s daily lives.
The next election is still months away, but the present trajectory is advantage Poilievre. Trudeau and Singh’s attempts to discredit him are flailing badly. Their far-fetched accusations only solidify the view that the Liberals and NDP are bereft of ideas and solutions.
Canadians want substantive policies to address urgent economic challenges, not partisan finger-pointing. The Conservatives are speaking to people’s real frustrations, while the governing parties peddle distractions and conspiracy theories. This strategy is clearly backfiring on Trudeau and Singh. Expect Poilievre’s momentum to continue absent a major change in approach from the Liberals and NDP.
Prime Minister Trudeau and NDP leader Singh claim to champion the middle class, yet their privileged upbringings make it impossible for them to truly understand the economic pressures facing average Canadian families. Neither leader has ever had to worry about affording rent or groceries, let alone choose between the two.
Yet they lecture hardworking taxpayers about the cost of living crisis, while wearing expensive suits and watches that most people could never dream of owning. Their elitist detachment from the day-to-day economic struggles of the middle class is palpable.
Time and again, Trudeau and the Liberals reveal just how out of touch they are with the realities confronting middle income earners in this country. As inflation has soared to its highest level in decades, eroding household budgets, the government continues spending lavishly as if revenues are unlimited.
Canadians scrimp and save at the grocery store checkouts, only to see Trudeau jetting off to tropical vacations on the taxpayers’ dime. He preaches fiscal restraint and carbon taxes, then takes a gas-guzzling government plane across the country for a surfing trip. The hypocrisy is astounding.
While Trudeau and Singh remain oblivious to the housing crisis after nearly a decade in power, Poilievre has highlighted the struggles facing middle class Canadians. In Question Period, Poilievre directly confronted Trudeau about the crisis his government’s policies have exacerbated. He questioned why so many hardworking middle income families now find themselves priced out of the housing market and living in tents or cars under Trudeau’s watch.
Poilievre understands the human impact of the housing affordability crisis, because he has personally met with the Canadians who have been forced into homelessness by Liberal policy failures. Trudeau and Singh promise solutions, but cannot relate to the lived experience of the middle class. Poilievre connects with these voters because he sees the true human toll and gives voice to the struggles of average Canadians that the governing parties have long ignored.
While the middle class struggles, the Liberals funnel billions towards corporate welfare and interest groups that finance their party. They are beholden to the elites who fund their campaigns, not the everyday citizens who work hard to provide for their families. Trudeau and Singh can speechify about the plight of the middle class, but their actions consistently contradict their rhetoric.
The yawning disconnect between the governing parties and the actual lives of taxpaying, middle income Canadians continues to widen. Trudeau and Singh were born into privilege and have never faced the anxieties their policies inflict on the middle class. Until they show true empathy for these struggles, their lofty promises will ring hollow.
