Conservatives Embracing 'The Big Lie'
It’s been nearly two weeks since Canadian voters looked warily south of the border and decided collectively that we do not subscribe to MAGAism; that basing our country on fear, division, and dishonesty is simply not who we are. But the Conservative party still doesn’t seem to get the message, with this week’s news that they are fundraising on the idea that Liberals are trying to “tip the scales” through legally required election recounts.
It is all very reminiscent of the Big Lie, the argument by Donald Trump that the 2020 election had been stolen from him with absolutely no evidence to back it up. It was the basis of his attempted January 6 2021 coup, and it was specifically intended to undermine American faith in their democratic institutions and the legitimacy of President Joe Biden in the eyes of their voters. It’s not over, either, with the state of Oklahoma now requiring that the Big Lie be taught as fact as part of the state’s high school curriculum.
Canadians in this election stated clearly that they were ready for change. They were even willing to possibly give the Conservative Party of Canada a chance — just not under Pierre Poilievre, who was routed from his Ottawa-area seat after over 20 years of taking up space without a single tangible accomplishment, whose final great turn-off was his constant imitation of the Convoy and MAGA-style politics.
The Conservatives made a point of attacking Mark Carney for being named Prime Minister before holding a seat in the House of Commons, yet have become strangely silent about their own leader grasping onto the role of leader of the opposition in all but name while losing his seat. They demanded Carney pay back the cost of his travel to Europe because he was not yet an MP but want to spend over $1 million in public funds to reinsert the defrocked Poilievre in the House.
The tradition of a sitting Member of Parliament stepping down for a leader to take their seat in a by-election is premised on the leader being new to the role and requiring a way into the House. Jean Chrétien came back to the House in this way after not having run in the election prior to becoming leader. Stephen Harper replaced a not-yet-elected candidate to claim his Calgary seat after becoming leader. Those are two of many examples.
Poilievre having lost his seat while his party otherwise went up in support by every objective measure is no such circumstance. He was soundly repudiated based on his own record in the role of MP for Carleton and as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
He was rejected because of his embrace of the Ottawa convoy, of MAGA politics, and his negative and divisive approach to leadership in a time when Canada needs to be united. He was thrown out of office for emulating Donald Trump while the American dictator’s actions are still fresh in the minds of Canadians who have been directly attacked.
The Conservatives have not understood the message at all, and see instead in the rise of their vote the opportunity to divide their way back into power. Their selection of defeated leader and American citizen Andrew Scheer as their interim leader of the opposition in the House of Commons is a testament both to the shallow talent pool available to them and how poorly they understand the message.
That they are now fundraising on the Canadian equivalent of the Big Lie is an insult to the intelligence of Canadians, to our democracy, to our unity, and ultimately to our sovereignty. The history of attacking the legitimacy of elections directly resulted in a bloody mob coup on the Capitol building in Washington DC barely four years ago.
Recounting ballots in tight races has nothing to do with “tipping the scales” and everything to do with ensuring that every vote is counted. Fundraising off the pretence that the Liberals are trying to change those votes should not be ignored, accepted, or dismissed as just playing politics. We already know how little respect Poilievre has for our democracy, and this is yet another example.
The Conservatives, in keeping Pierre Poilievre, in enabling his desire to hold on, in promoting the idea that the election was not fair or is being stolen, are continuing the MAGA embrace. They are not interested in Canada’s unity, Canada’s success, or Canada’s progress. They are not interested in Canada’s well-being, or the safety of its people. They need Canada to be as broken as they claim it is in order to rule over its ashes.
Like Trump’s America, today’s Conservatives would rather have power over a collapsing country than be proud citizens of a prospering Canada.
You wrote: "[Canadians] were even willing to possibly give the Conservative Party of Canada a chance — just not under Pierre Poilievre..." I'm thinking that the vast majority of the 42% who voted Conservative could not have known that if their party won nationally, it would form the government without Poilievre at the helm. So while Carleton voters had no use for Poilievre, I'm not sure the evidence is the same for the other 8 million who voted Conservative. Set me straight, please!