For the first time in this campaign, the conservative leader Pierre Poilievre made a stop in Nueva Scotia on Thursday, the second province he has visited led by a progressive conservative prime minister absent from the Federal Party events.
Pailievre’s only campaign trip ended up without meeting with Prime Minister Tim Houston, who did not attend Trenton, NS of Poilievre, just minutes from the provincial driving of Houston.
While Houston had said previously that he would remain outside the federal campaign, the sources say there has been tension between the two leaders for months.
During last year’s provincial elections, Houston told reporters that he would not be inviting Pailievre to campaign with him, saying he is not a member of any federal party.
“There is no federal equivalent,” said Houston last November. “I am the leader of the progressive conservatives of Nueva Scotia. There is a conservative party of Canada. It is a completely different game with its own leader.”
Frosty called with the campaign manager
Four provincial sources, which CBC News do not name because they were not authorized to discuss internal matters of the parties, they told CBC News that shortly after, Houston’s staff received a phone call from the conservative national campaign director Jenni Byrne.
The sources claim that Byrne told the Houston team that if Pailievre became prime minister, they would not raise a finger to help the provincial party.
The call changed the relationship between the two fields, according to the sources.
On the eve of Pailievre’s visit, Houston launched a campaign style In social networks, which caused some to wonder if I was looking at Pailievre’s work.
The video included a speech that Houston gave during the winter session of the Legislature of New Scotland. Houston leaders and the opposition spoke speeches against the threats of tariffs of the United States government.
The prime minister was in the “I’m Canadian” beer announcement. Houston concludes his speech saying “I am new Scotland.”
In statements to journalists on Thursday, the Prime Minister of Ontario, Doug Ford, a friend and ally of Houston, said he had been “bursting [Houston’s] Chops “about the video.
The video included clips of the first two progressive conservatives together.
“I told him that I love it,” said Ford, declining to explain what more told the Prime Minister of New Scotland.
In a statement, the Canada Conservative Party did not deny that the telephone call with Byrne took place, but said that the two leaders “have communicated about importance issues for new scots, both before and after the recent provincial elections.”
The statement said that, if chosen, Pailievre “hopes to work in close collaboration with Prime Minister Houston.”
A statement provided by Houston’s communications director Stephen Moore, said that Houston’s main concern is new Scotland “and” will work with who the next government is. “
Earlier this year, Houston wrote identical letters both the liberal leader Mark Carney and Pailievre who describe what he expected that the next federal government would prioritize for Nueva Scotia.
Pailievre’s relationship with the prime ministers has been under the microscope during the federal campaign, after Ford declined to support the conservative leader, but had breakfast with Prime Minister Mark Carney during the brief window prior to the campaign after Carney swore.
Ford defended the criticism of his former campaign manager to Pailievre’s campaign, telling journalists “Sometimes the truth hurts.”
Had said that it would remain outside the campaign To concentrate on your province.
Pailievre has been supported by Alberta Prime Minister Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe.
