Mansoor’s Musings: Pierre Poilievre needs to polish his political style

By Mansoor Ladha on December 11, 2024.

This column may sound like one written by a Liberal supporter but it’s really a postmortem by an acute observer of Conservative leader, and possibly PM-in-waiting, Pierre Poilievre’s political rhetoric.

Like many other columnists, I am getting a little fed up with Poilievre blaming Prime Minster Justin Trudeau for everything under the sun. We have yet to hear Poilievre making a speech without mentioning Trudeau’s name and blaming him for everything that has gone wrong not only in Canada, but also in the world at large.

Whether it’s housing, immigration, grocery prices or drug issues – some problems that are not even directly under the PM’s file. When Donald Trump issued his famous 25 per cent tariff imposition on Canada and Mexico, our Opposition Leader suggested the Liberal government was unprepared for such an “unjustified threat,” which anyone could have seen coming.

“We need a prime minister with the strength and the smarts, the brains and the backbone to stand up for this country, to rebuild our security, our military and our economy,” he said, obviously implying he was the one with all these endowments.

Poilievre’s classic quote was: “We have a weakened economy, a weakened military and most of all, a weakened prime minister. That weakness may have been one of the reasons President Trump believed that he could make these threats and trample all over the prime minister again.”

Of course, the Conservative Party’s so far hidden jewel has all the answers.

Personal attacks on a political opponent all the time is not a sign of a mature statesmanship. Instead, we expect a sensible and bright politician to be capable of presenting sound alternatives when he takes over the government instead of capitalizing on personal innuendos.

Trump has been known for his temper tantrums during his first presidency and during the last election. And it won’t be the last time we would have heard about it. Is Trudeau responsible for Trump’s threats and fits of temper? Poilievre has failed to note that the whole world is anxiously waiting to see what Trump is going to do in his second presidency.

Trudeau should be commended to take the initiative to meet Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence to brief him on Canada’s concerns. Sources said Trump and his team conveyed that they plan to balance their federal budget through tariffs, and then strike exemption side deals on a country-by-country basis.

The nearly three-hour dinner was also described as positive and wide-ranging with topics discussed included fentanyl, NATO, Ukraine, energy, China and next year’s G7 summit in Canada. Trudeau told the media after the meeting that he had an “excellent conversation” with Trump and that the meeting was “productive.”

In a press conference, Trudeau confirmed – which everyone should know – that Trump’s tariff threat needs to be taken seriously.

“One of the things that is really important to understand is that, you know Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out,” Trudeau said. “There’s no question about it.”

Trudeau also said he looked forward to having “lots of great conversations with president-elect Trump as we move forward on standing up for good jobs on both sides of the borders.”

Another positive thing that happened as far as Canada is concerned was the urgent meeting that took place between Trudeau and all Canadian premiers in which both parties presented a united front in solving the Canada-U.S. border issue.

The federal government has already pledged to make additional investments at the border, but details have yet to be provided. Even the fierce critic of the federal government, Premier Danielle Smith, said it was “telling” that oil and gas pipelines were discussed at the Mar-a-Lago meeting.

Only time will tell what Trump will do when he assumes the presidency on Jan. 20. Until then, we’ll have to see if he can smell Trudeau’s weakness.

Mansoor Ladha is a Calgary-based journalist, travel writer and author of Aga Khan: Bridge between East & West, Off the Cuff, Memoirs of a Muhindi: Fleeing East Africa for the West and Portrait in Pluralism: Aga Khan’s Shia Ismaili Muslims.

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