The fight

When this steamy election campaign started we polled you. In a few hours five thousand people responded. The results front-ran and confirmed a slew of national surveys which followed. Cons tanking. A Liberal phoenix. Dippers squished.

Three weeks later and fourteen sleeps before E-day, let’s do it again. Has the campaign mattered much? Has the needle moved? Has Trump’s bizarre behaviour – Liberation Day, crying wolf on tariffs, the war with China, slamming the car guys – changed your mind? Is he a bigger threat or a larger joke? Has the stock market’s attempted suicide changed your mind about things?

Do you like Poilievre more and Carney less? Or is Mark the guy we need now and Pierre is better as an oppo attack dog? Who’s best to face the orange guy? Are the Trudeau days over, or just coming back in a new suit? Are the Cons fit to govern, or too angry and extreme? And what about this Western secession stuff? A national threat or just more moaning and whining from the cowboys?

Tell us. It’s a pivotal campaign. The most consequential, perhaps, in four decades, when the idea of ‘free trade’ with America was first put to a vote, and when I first set my dainty young foot on the green carpet of the House of Commons.

I was elected as a Conservative. But not this kind. A PC. For the kiddos among us that means ‘Progressive Conservative” which may remind you of ‘military intelligence’ or ‘jumbo shrimp’.

But for PCs this meant paying serious attention to fiscal discipline and management while taking a light hand on social issues. In other words, governing from the centre. Under my first boss, Brian Mulroney, caucus beat back the anti-abortion faction, embraced same-sex marriage rights, used compromise to quell Quebec separatism, then brought in the deficit-slaying GST, even knowing it was political suicide.

Today’s Conservative party still seeks financial discipline, but also mucks into gender issues, would slash foreign aid, attack the ‘chaos and disorder’ on our streets, defund the CBC, chop the public service, install surveillance towers on the border, reverse gun restrictions, weaken Indigenous input on resource development, abolish safe injection sites and fire the Bank of Canada boss. In other words, as in Trump’s America, broadly touch society and extend federal controls. Maybe that’s what Canadians want. But it’s not the centre.

 

Trump’s favourite photo and Poilievre’s web site election shot.

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As stated here before, I know Poilievre, and have years of exposure to him. I have met Carney but do not know him.

The new Liberal leader exudes gravitas, while being as boring as he is experienced. The Conservatives opted for a career politician immensely skilled at shredding others and mining a deep vein of social anger. The polarization that gained traction with Harper (who threw me out for blogging, resisting 0% mortgages and being too independent) has flowered under Pierre.

In two weeks we’ll know more. Tomorrow we’ll have a preview. Take the poll:

About the picture: “My father is a long-time daily reader of Greater Fool,” writes Baljit. “He loves to send me links when theres a particularly cute doggie to look at. His birthday is April 13 and I think he would really get a kick out of seeing a photo of his dog Ozzy up there, but any day is fine   This is Ozzy! He’s a Shih Tzu, with a little bit on Chihuahua and Bichon Frise. In this photo he’s sitting in his favourite spot to look outside and guard the home from any predators (as he is very scary).”

To be in touch or send a picture of your beast, email to ‘[email protected]’.

Source: https://www.greaterfool.ca/2025/04/13/the-fight-3/