Deachman: Will Alberta MP Pierre Poilievre show more contempt for Ottawa's public servants?
One thing is for sure: with Pierre Poilievre officially back in the political ring, things in Ottawa aren't likely to be boring.
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But which Poilievre will we see?
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On the one hand, it's possible that, after experiencing his first electoral defeat in April following seven consecutive victories, we might see a more introspective politician and man — one who doesn't take anything, and least of all voters from across the spectrum, for granted.
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Then again, it's also feasible that the newest Alberta MP, who blamed public service unions for his loss in Carleton four months ago — and who is no longer directly beholden to those same Ottawa voters — may start showing even more contempt for public servants and others he deems to have suckled for too long at the teat of Liberal/Eastern largesse.
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It's been 16 weeks since Carleton voters sent their longtime MP and wannabe PM packing. On Monday, the people of Alberta's Battle River-Crowfoot riding — or slightly more than 40,000 of them at least — sent him back to Ottawa to represent them.
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Those who have wearied of Poilievre's endless 'Canada is broken' refrain and populist rhetoric might find some small shards of solace in the numbers: Poilievre did, after all, receive 13,000 fewer votes than Tory Damien Kurek got when he won the seat in April. And nearly 15,000 fewer Battle River-Crowfoot electors even bothered to show up this time, lowering turnout from 76 per cent in April to about 59 per cent (in comparison, almost 82 per cent of Carletonites cast ballots in April).
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But let's not kid ourselves. These are the straws clutched at by bitter losers. Poilievre's victory on Monday was a landslide. Sure, it was a safe seat, but in claiming just over 80 per cent of the votes cast, he barely even creased his parachute. And he did so —technically, anyway — on a write-in ballot, with Elections Canada refusing to cut down the forests necessary to print ballots with 214 candidates' names on them.
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Still, though, and with apologies to Michael Corleone, it kind of feels as though just when we thought he was out, they threw him back in.
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But such is politics, and I have my fingers crossed that maybe a second Poilievre makeover will take. The last one, in 2023, saw PP jettison his wardrobe, optometrist and hair stylist to present a warmer, more relaxed persona. It was enough to (likely) defeat an extremely unpopular Justin Trudeau. But it didn't prevent Poilievre from alienating many voters with his endless yammering about the Liberals' 'lost decade' and blaming Trudeau 2.0, and later Carney, for pretty much any perceived shortcoming in the country. Trump's implacability? A global increase in food prices?
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The deference the prime minister has been afforded has politically served him well up to now. But the accountability, questions and real pressure are now going to pour in. This will yield better government over time, accountability and a clear contrast between two leaders for Canadians to choose from whenever the next election may come. More from James Moore:
