Pierre Poilievre’s performance in the first two Conservative leadership debates is a strong argument against his suitability for the job of prime minister. Whether Conservatives nonetheless decide to put him in charge of the party will say a lot about their credibility as a potential alternative to the Liberal government.
He’s making lots of people mad.
Many were prepared for the first official Conservative leadership debate to resemble a WWE Smackdown. Last week’s unofficial edition quickly descended into a cacophony of snide remarks and name calling–– and that was without the inclusion of Patrick Brown, who’s been warring with Pierre Poilevre on Twitter.
CTV – Poilievre’s crypto policy questioned, and other notable moments from the English
Conservative Party of Canada leadership hopefuls Scott Aitchison, Roman Baber, Patrick Brown, Jean Charest, Leslyn Lewis, and Pierre Poilievre squared off in the first official party debate on Wednesday night in Edmonton, Alta.
From policy conversations to some digs at each other, interrupted at times by a sad trombone buzzer cutting debaters off, here are some key moments from the English-language debate.
NATPO – First official Conservative leadership debate features calmer candidates, paddles and sad trombones
Conservative leadership hopefuls held a tamer but occasionally circus-sounding debate that covered topics from abortion to their favourite music, with format and moderator criticized for stifling candidates’ answers.
It was the first time all six leadership contenders — Scott Aitchison, Roman Baber, Patrick Brown, Jean Charest, Leslyn Lewis and Pierre Poilievre — faced off in the first of two official debates organized by the Conservative Party of Canada.
CBC – Conservative candidates spar over inflation, abortion — and TV shows — in an unusual leadership debate
Conservative leadership candidates took the stage Wednesday in Edmonton for what turned into an unorthodox, wide-ranging debate that featured discussions about the war in Ukraine, abortion and supply management — with detours on the topics of binge-worthy TV shows and the candidates’ current reading lists.
Debate moderator Tom Clark, a former veteran political journalist, promised a debate heavy on policy issues and free of interruptions, which was largely the case for the the bulk of the debate.
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, the perceived front-runner in the contest to replace Erin O’Toole, focused most of his speaking time on economic issues, the cost of living and surging inflation figures.
Global – Conservative leadership hopefuls debate future of party, trade Netflix suggestions
The six candidates for the Conservative leadership squared off in Edmonton Wednesday night in a debate that showcased their differing visions for the future of the party, and also what they’re currently watching on Netflix.
After a fractious unofficial debate in Ottawa last week, the Conservative party used the leadership contest’s single English-language debate to try and highlight the candidates’ lighter side — including questions about what music they listen to, what they’re currently reading, and the last thing they “binge watched.”
It was dull as dishwater and the CPC Brain Trust’s choice of moderator was an eye-opener. I’m convinced they want to lose.
No change for me, much as I like Poilievre’s scrappiness he can’t change the CPC. LPC 2.0 is what they want to be.
The CPC leaders support mass immigration and mass baby killing, except Lewis. Go figure.
Mass immigration benefits no one except the corporate class at the expense of working people. They love their slaves.
Conservative leadership candidates prep for first official party debate
EDMONTON – Six candidates competing to become the next leader of the Conservative Party of Canada will meet on stage tonight for the first of two official debates.
The event in Edmonton comes less than a week after five out of the six contenders put on a feisty performance during an unofficial debate in Ottawa, where much focus was paid to fighting COVID-19 mandates and the recent convoy protest in the nation’s capital.
After a lunchtime Pierre Poilievre rally in Fergus, Ont., a woman named Ava had a burning question: She wanted a journalist to ask how Mr. Poilievre can be trusted when a “member” of the World Economic Forum is co-chair of his campaign.
She was talking about John Baird, the former foreign affairs minister under Stephen Harper. Ava believes billionaires Bill Gates and George Soros are trying to take over the world, in league with a German octogenarian named Klaus Schwab, who founded the WEF more than 50 years ago.
Ava is not alone. The first person I spoke to at that Fergus rally a couple of weeks ago told me Prime Minister Justin Trudeau doesn’t really run the country – Mr. Schwab does.
People who believe the Liberals are the natural governing party of Canada are predictably clutching their pearls and wagging their disapproving fingers at the political brawl in the Conservative leadership race.
Twenty minutes into Thursday’s debate between five of the six candidates for the Conservative party leadership, Scott Aitchison appealed for calm and seriousness.
“If we can’t go out and speak to Canadians in all parts of the country and make sure that we are trustworthy, that we don’t scare them … every time I hear a Conservative talk about some conspiracy theory, I realize that there’s another group of swing voters in the [Greater Toronto Area] that just are not going to come our way,” Aitchison said.
“Because all we do is yell and scream at each other. We’re witnessing it now.”
Honestly this reads like a lament from CBC’ that Charest got his butt kicked.
OTTAWA, Ont. — Spoiler alert: The race to lead Canada’s Conservatives is nasty, and it’s going to stay that way.
Five contenders just met in the first unofficial debate of the three-month-old race, and their fiery exchanges set the tone for the next four months of campaigning.
The two front-runners in the race for the Conservative Party’s top job traded blows over their records in the first leadership debate of the campaign Thursday.
Making it clear who he thinks his main opponent is, Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre used much of his speaking time to attack former Quebec premier Jean Charest, a man he branded as a tax-hiking Liberal interloper.
Poilievre accused Charest of being too critical of the anti-vaccine mandate protest convoy that occupied much of downtown Ottawa earlier this year, saying he was proud to stand with “law-abiding” and “peaceful” truckers who were protesting COVID-19 restrictions.
At Conservative leadership debate, Pierre Poilievre takes aim at Jean Charest when asked re: his support for the Freedom Convoy. “The average trucker has more integrity in his pinky finger than you had in your entire scandal-plagued Liberal cabinet,” he says.#cpcldr | #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/XeaGlJhJRr
— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) May 5, 2022
Only chicanery could prevent a Poilievre victory after this debate and the CPC braintrust are just the men for the job.
The two frontrunners in the race for the Conservative Party’s top job traded blows over their records in the first leadership debate of the campaign Thursday.
Making it clear who he thinks his main opponent is, Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre used much of his speaking time to attack former Quebec premier Jean Charest, a man he branded as a tax-hiking Liberal interloper.
Poilievre accused Charest of being too critical of the anti-vaccine mandate protest convoy that occupied much of downtown Ottawa earlier this year, saying he was proud to stand with “law-abiding” and “peaceful” truckers who were protesting COVID-19 restrictions.
Six candidates are officially on the ballot to become the Conservative Party’s next leader. In holding rallies, appearing in media interviews, and preparing for the soon-approaching party debates, each contender has started to trickle out details of their platforms. Here’s a snapshot of where the candidates stand on the economy, housing, climate, defence and social issues.
Lots of talk, none of it concerning our ruinous mass immigration policy. I wonder why!
… You will not learn from mainstream media that the average Canadian does not buy into every sacred Liberal shibboleth, including the most cherished cultural and economic obsessions. And despite strenuous efforts, Prime Minister Trudeau has not radically shifted the spectrum of politically acceptable policies (the so-called Overton Window, after the late American libertarian activist Joseph Overton, who introduced it).
Canadians tend to be middle-of-the-road, commonsensical and patriotic. Overwhelmingly, they are not woke iconoclasts eager to tear down statues or postmodern ideologues preoccupied with identity politics and alternative lifestyles. Rather, they are pragmatic, fair-minded people who support aboriginal reconciliation and acknowledge history’s dark chapters but do not believe Canada is systemically racist or genocidal.
I think the CPC braintrust believes they do.
A U.S. Supreme Court leak indicating a reversal of the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling is prompting the Conservative Party of Canada’s leadership candidates to publicize their stance on abortion rights.
The draft opinion is reinvigorating a debate that is often part of the party’s leadership race discourse, bringing to light internal policy divisions.
The Conservative Party is attempting to keep its MPs quiet on a leaked U.S. Supreme Court decision regarding Roe v. Wade that would overturn abortion rights in that country.
In a memo to Conservative MPs, interim leader Candice Bergen’s office instructed MPs that the party would not comment on the leaked court decision that has sent shockwaves through the U.S.
