The Writ Podcast - Episode #60: Pierre Poilievre, Week 1

Shannon, Supriya and Aaron join me to chat about Poilievre's first week as leader and the Trudeau government's inflation relief plan.

Pierre Poilievre won the Conservative leadership race with more support on the first ballot than any previous leadership candidate for the Conservative Party or its predecessors. It was a big win.

His first week, though, did not go so smoothly after one Quebec MP, Alain Rayes, quit caucus, citing Poilievre’s tone and style of politics as the reason. That the party had to subsequently apologize for text messages sent to party members in Rayes’s riding asking them to call his office to voice their displeasure made Rayes’s point for him.

Meanwhile, at a Liberal caucus retreat in New Brunswick, Justin Trudeau announced new measures meant to provide relief from inflation — an issue Poilievre has been hammering the government over for months. Jagmeet Singh of the NDP was quick to claim credit.

So it’s been a bit of a week.

To discuss it all, I’m joined this week by the CBC’s Aaron Wherry, Shannon Proudfoot, reporter with The Globe and Mail and Supriya Dwivedi, Director of Policy and Engagement at the Centre for Media, Technology and Democracy, and Senior Counsel for Enterprise Canada. Supriya is also the co-host of the Seriously Podcast.

[anderflw]

The journalist who interrupted him apologized for his rude behavior. Take it as that. He was very rude.

[gadsbyjustin]

I don't think he looked weak... he just looked taken off guard. Imagine if you had written out a speech and memorized it, and went to deliver it in front of the press. There was an itinerary and he expected to deliver his speech and then answer 2 questions. But then as you begin (reciting from memory what was practiced) there's someone constantly trying to talk over you. It was extremely rude by that reporter and doesn't paint Pierre in any particular way at all... Anyone would be taken off guard by that and would be annoyed because it wasn't mature of the reporter or expected.
The general message and expectation is that the mainstream media (who are understood in a general sense to be biased against the Conservatives based on the excessive funding they receive from the Liberals) will do everything they can to discredit Pierre as the new leader of the Conservatives. The reason the reporter was quickly labelled as a Liberal heckler was because he was displaying behaviour that seemed to have the sole purpose of being disruptive and trying to trip up Pierre (which aligns with the expectation of the mainstream media).

[yunshiggy]

respect is a two way street. if being a journalist means one has permission to act like a spoiled brat, don't be surprised when you get put in your place. It's behaviour like Aiken which is why the public is losing faith in corporate media.

[skufty]

David Akin was just plain out Rude, simple as that!

[bennyconiglio]

I normally don't promote or trust a politician, but I believe in Pierre as being authentic, genuine and having integrity. It's not fair to paint everyone with the same brush. The liberal media will attack him. I think he had handled himself well against that global news reporter. Pierre is the change that Canada urgently needs.

[Hamsteak]

It's starting to get interesting. Going to be interesting 3 years or less. Go PP

[SylviusTheMad]

Poilievre's margin of victory was about as expected. He got 70.7% of the vote, which matched the forecasts.

[nothappygilmore]

He should be more like Trudeau and just call everyone racist and run away.

[MisterDaryn]

Pierre has to get used to being attacked and asked hard questions. I saw him rattled a few months ago when he was asked questions about using the equity from his house like an ATM, contrary to statements he had said in the past. He can recover from this and if he is lucky, some of the hardcore radicals who only care about combativeness will evacuate to the PPC. Frankly he only needed them to become leader.

A weak Poilievre is not good for Canadian democracy. I was hoping his election as leader would wake up the current government and make them better.

Poilievre will learn that he cannot be a pure ideologue in country like Canada. Our history is based on compromise, our unity is based on compromise and our future will be based on compromise. Nobody gets everything they want. If he does compromise, he can win over disaffected moderate voters, who can be reasoned with over PPC, hard right people who nobody can reason with. And there are of course issues that the Conservative cannot compromise on.

[arcticfox]

Polievre is the MAN!!!!. He handled that bozo Aiken like a champ. Pierre is gonna get this country back into shape 💪💪💪🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦

[Samichou]

Kory Teneycke made a great point about the "globe editorial room" the Westboro folks and the general legacy media. They live on their own bubble, in Toronto and Ottawa. They talk to each other they all agree but they don't talk to the other 99% of Canada. The rest of the country thinks differently but they'll never find out since they don't interact or acknowledge them. Sadly in seem this panel is the same. I would invite you to broaden your interactions and actually go out there and listen to what normal people are saying. Comments I have seen on PP vs David interaction are OVERWHELMINGLY in Pierre's favour. David as been forced to apologize due to the sheer number of messages he got calling him out. In any case this seem to be a continuation of why there is so many people disconnecting from traditional media. They are out of touch and don't represent or care about what people actually fell. I would advise Eric to try and bring some fresh blood on his podcasts.

[brucelowrie]

Great podcast as usual Eric!!
Shannon Proudfoot is, bar none, one of THE best political commentators around. I love the way she expresses herself and her use of timely analogies is always bang on. She ranks right up there with the likes of Chantal Hébert and Andrew Coyne.
Speaking of whom...Eric: How about getting these two on future podcasts?? - That would be awesome :)

[colcol]

David Aiken had no right to be rude and obnoxious when Polievre was delivering his statement. He acted like a heckler. If he would have shut his mouth while Polievre was making his statement, then we wouldnt be dissecting his conversation as a liberal heckler, now would we. A chief political correspondent should know better and he apologized. Lets call this a victory for Polievere. His composure was flawless!

[brendaouellette]

Rosemary Barton at it again with a panel trashing Pierre.

[tarzanscheetah]

are the members of the panel all liberal

[sheilahall]

David is rude, and yes David is a heckler and very rude

[dorendabailey]

Hard to believe that most of you are "targeting" Poilievre for being the bad guy, in that press conference. Aaron even suggested that Pierre " initiated conflict" Such nonsense when you are getting yelled at from the first 10 seconds without even making a statement.
I remember Trudeau when boxed in at an event said " Thank you for your contribution" Pierre said " Thank you for being here today" and immediately it started I don't remember Trudeau getting slammed. Many times Trudeau looks "uncomfortable" especially recently, and he also looks downright offended if anyone disagrees with him.
Just take a balanced approach - you from the media. Right now it is easy to see the bias in your remarks.
I watch P and P and Power Play every day - from Evan Solomon ( who only wants to focus on the truckers convoy every day") to Vassy Kapelos who always points out the negative parts of any Conservative who comes on the show. Why would they show up to your panels ??- why would they subject themselves to the vitriol that comes from whomever is the "host"

[adamvandolder]

Jesus did someone twitter link this podcast somewhere? Sounds like a goddamn Danielle Smith rally in these comments.

[barbaradudman]

Did this group not understand that it was Akin who issued the apology Pierre handled the situation very well

[sheilahall]

Pierre Poilievre for Prime Minister. This guy thinks he knows Pierre not at all Canadians love Pierre. Why would that be odd, you guys no nothing