By: Surjit Singh Flora
(Asian independent) Poilievre secures victory in the Battle River—Crowfoot byelection; what comes next? Will he put an end to Trump’s tariff on Canada? Will he rebuild Canada’s economy? He will generate job opportunities for our youth and reduce employment rates. He will stabilize the real estate market, which is a significant source of wealth for Canadians. He will address the immigration system, which encounters a variety of other challenges, such as a rise in asylum claims, increased deportations, and labour abuses. Is he really going to pull Canada out of this “deep recession”? No! Absolutely not!
As an opposition leader, he will pose significant challenges for PM Carney, highlighting every issue and referring to the PM as ‘wacko.’ Perhaps he discovered some new terms from his limited vocabulary, like “wimp,” reflecting his weakness and inability to strike a compromise with Trump. Perhaps he refers to him as “lame” because, in his view, whatever PM Carney is doing is not beneficial or appealing for Canada and Canadians.
He is just like Trump, skilled at twisting words and criticizing anyone and everything, yet lacking the ability to contribute positively to the nation and its citizens. He won the by-election, but what else is he really beneficial for? Primarily, nothing much, just serving as an opposition leader and MP for Battle River- Crowfoot starts receiving a salary of $299,900 from the taxpayer’s money.
As Ontario Premier Ford suggests that Poilievre should set aside partisan differences and collaborate with Carney in light of the threat posed by Trump. Therefore, he should collaborate with Prime Minister Carney and all other parties to enhance our nation’s strength and enable it to stand independently on the global stage.
Since February, Canada has been engaged in an extended trade conflict with the U.S., initiated by Trump’s implementation of extensive tariffs on Canadian products, which he claimed were connected to border security issues. The U.S. president has imposed further sectoral tariffs in the intervening months, targeting steel and aluminium, copper, and automobiles.
Also, Premier Ford said, “Carney is doing a very, very good job, in my opinion, put in this position dealing with Donald Trump.” There is no need to be concerned about Donald Trump. Initially, we will focus on Ontario and Canada, as well as the other provinces and territories.
The Premier of Ontario, who has consistently expressed support for a stringent approach towards Trump, emphasized his commitment to fostering investment in Canada to lessen the nation’s dependence on the United States. He highlighted initiatives such as tax reductions and the alleviation of regulatory constraints.
In July, the yearly rate of inflation dropped from 1.9% in June to 1.7%, according to Statistics Canada. That means Premier Ford is right when he says that PM Carney is doing a great job to make our country great and affordable. In the past, Poilievre’s entire rhetoric was centered on critiquing former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, similar to how Donald Trump structured his campaign around criticizing Joe Biden, attributing to him the issues of a “horrible economy, inflation,” and the crisis of illegal immigration. Currently, Trump’s team frequently asserts that they have inherited a state of chaos, attributing the worsening situation in the U.S. to this, while placing the blame on Biden for the turmoil that was actually a result of Trump’s policies. Canadians considered what Carney and Poilievre were presenting, as well as the situation in the U.S., and ultimately decided to take a different approach. Poilievre has been accustomed to criticizing Trudeau for years, and his team struggled to adapt when Carney presented a new initiative aimed at rebuilding Canada, distancing from the now-hostile U.S., and taking the lead not only for Canada but for the entire western world. It appears that Canadians appreciate the notion of taking on a leadership role in the West. In the end, this reflects a distinctly American tendency towards paranoia and the exploitation of anger. In my view, the Conservative strategists and party officials involved in this activity are betraying Canada. That’s why a higher number of Canadians chose the Liberals over the Conservatives in the April election—because the Conservatives are heavily influenced by their larger Republican counterparts in the United States, and more Canadians prefer to distance themselves from that association.
Surjit Singh Flora is a freelance writer and journalist who lives in Brampton, Canada.
