A possible tariff war with the United States, Justin Trudeau’s departure and the liberal leadership career are altering the campaign plans of the conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
And behind the scene, not all conservatives agree on how to adjust.
“Carbon tax is no longer the question of the polls,” said a conservative source in western Canada to Radio-Canada. “But we have invested so much money refining that message, it is difficult to abandon it completely.”
The sources told Radio-Canadá that the Conservative Party has commissioned a series of internal surveys to find the best way to adapt the Pailievre message. The objective is to test new lines of attack against liberals.
“The beginning of a war war with the United States is changing the mood of voters. It is more difficult to talk about a broken Canada when there is a growing sense of patriotism,” said another conservative source.
Canada’s political landscape is changing rapidly.
“The challenge is to demonstrate that the game can adapt rapidly, that the leader can go beyond the slogans and that he has more than one trick under his sleeve,” warns a third source near the party.
Radio-Canada is not identifying the sources because they were talking about internal matters of the parties.
Progress adjustment
There has been an adjustment in Poilievre’s rhetoric since Donald Trump swore, and his tariff threats have become increasingly real.
Pailievre promises that “conservatives will resume control of our border and put Canada first”, echoing one of the reasons for the president of the United States, Donald Trump, to threaten to impose tariffs on Canada.
Asked by a journalist on Monday why he believes that the president of the United States, Donald Trump, is imposing tariffs, conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said it was a question for Trump, before adding that Canada needs to “protect our borders, do not please to no other foreign leader. “
On Monday morning, before Trump announced a 30 -day postponement in his 25 percent planned tariff Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA (CBSA) throughout the border.
But at the same time, he blamed the liberal government for his failure at the border. According to Poilievre, Trump is in a strong position because liberals avoid the development of pipes in Canada.
“President Trump has received an incredible gift for these radical liberals and anti-development when they block the projects that would have made us more self-sufficient.”
Pailievre is asking the liberals to remind parliamentarians to the House of Commons to adopt their own first plan in Canada.
But he has not promised to negotiate with the other parts in a plan. And refuses to commit to demolish the minority government at the first opportunity if the house will return.
One of the challenges, according to conservative sources, is to achieve adequate balance in the attack of the liberals.
“Voters want Canada to defend. But in times of crisis, they can be less receptive if we are too critical of the government.”
Continuing with the fiscal attack of carbon?
According to the sources, there are differences of opinion within the decision -making apparatus of the conservative party on whether it is important to continue interrupting carbon tax.
A faction near Poilievre continues to believe that the carbon tax strategy should not be eliminated, because it goes to the heart of the conservative message about affordability.
For months, Pailievre has been asking for a “choice of carbon tax” to get rid of Trudeau. But all liberal candidates who want to replace it promise to abolish, transform or suspend the increase in carbon tax to people.
“We cannot let the liberals take the carpet from under us,” said a source. “By saying Carbon Tax or Chrystia carbon tax, it is a way to personally link them with Justin Trudeau’s legacy. It is in the heart of our strategy.”
Liberal leadership leaders Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland have pledged to discard consumer carbon tax, once a signing policy of the Trudeau government. Both are also urging an aggressive Canadian response to US tariffs.
Several conservatives also point out that a lot of money has been invested in this game plan, and there is little time to change course.
“They don’t want to reinvent the wheel at midnight from one minute, but I don’t think they have an option,” said a conservative strategist. “Canadian minds are in other places.”
What better to drive Carney?
“We will have to handle the next liberal leader differently,” said a conservative source. “People hated Justin Trudeau, but they are more neutral with Mark Carney, because they don’t know him.”
According to many conservatives, the former governor of the Bank of Canada, Mark Carney, embodies the novelty, while the former finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, is easier to link with the legacy of Justin Trudeau.
Last week, conservatives seemed to be attentive to Carney. Two conservative parliamentarians held press information sessions against buildings where the liberal leadership candidate attended events.
The conservatives did not give the same treatment to other aspiring leaders such as Freeland and Karina Gould.
“It simply shows who we believe he will win,” said a conservative source.
“This is our opportunity to define Mark Carney in people’s minds. But the window is scarce, especially if it declares a quick choice,” said the source. “We have to tell the world that Carney is not a stranger. He was behind Justin Trudeau’s policies, he was pulling the strings.”
Holding leadership
Conservatives also recognize that liberals are enjoying a slight increase in surveys, with Trump’s Belic Rhetoric and Belic Rhetoric.
“There may be some Liberals fed up with Trudeau who had come to the conservatives and are now returning to the liberals,” admits a former conservative campaign manager. “But our base is there. It is solid and will stay with us.”
Surveys show a slight decrease for conservatives and a small increase for liberals in recent weeks. According to Abacus data, conservative leadership has fallen from 26 to 21 points. According to Léger, the conservative advantage has been reduced to 18 points.
He CBC survey tracker It shows that the liberals have obtained profits in recent weeks, but conservatives still have a broad and decisive advantage.
Several conservatives said that this explosion of enthusiasm for the liberals will not last.
“The size of the victory can be reduced, but we will win the same,” said a former conservative strategist.
Some conservatives recognize that they can lose some seats in Ontario or in the Atlantic of Canada that they hoped to win, “but not enough to hurt us.”
“Look at [Democratic presidential candidate] Kamala Harris in the United States that did not last long, “said a conservative.” We are not afraid, but we don’t give anything for granted. “
According to this strategist, Carney will have difficulty gaining the support of middle -class Canadians.
“Pierre Poilievre has been courting the working class for two years,” says a former conservative campaign manager. “If Mr. Carney tries to present himself as an common person, he is not very convincing. It is difficult for people to believe that a banker really understands his daily challenges.”
Although the liberal race has barely begun, the objective of the conservatives is already clear.
