Poilievre Versus Trump

Many critics tend to compare Poilievre's to Trump saying electing him will bring Trump-esk policies to Canada. Is there any evidence to support this? Is it a fair conclusion to come to?

It is mainly people who favor left-wing politics who make these comparisons. They hate what Trump is doing in the United States. They’re right to be concerned; Trump is moving at speeds that are hard to keep up with (despite his many golf trips back to Florida on the weekends). Using archaic laws to deport immigrants without due process, making massive cuts to foreign aid and government spending, and defying court orders are just a few concerning actions.

So, should Canada be concerned with Poilievre acting similarly?

The most obvious thing to look at is the language they both use. They both tend to use a lot of anti-establishment rhetoric. It could be argued that Poilievre was inspired by Trump when he adopted this approach. However, it seems more likely that this is a result of the current political climate. Both Trump and Poilievre were—or are—attempting to defeat an incumbent government, so it makes sense that they would frame their campaigns in this way.

Trump has taken a much harder stance on immigration than Poilievre, and the difference is stark. Poilievre has committed to limiting immigration based on housing and healthcare and ensuring that immigration addresses gaps in the job market. However, the current government’s stance is also to limit immigration, bringing temporary residence down to 5% by 2026. This process actually began under Trudeau. Contrast this with Trump’s plan for the mass deportation of all immigrants who entered illegally, including those seeking asylum, and much stricter border policies.

There’s also the issue of Canadian sovereignty. Trump has repeatedly disrespected Canada’s sovereignty, not to mention that of other countries. Poilievre, meanwhile, has done nothing of the sort and has been vocal about protecting Canada from President Trump’s repeated threats. It seems unlikely he would do a complete 180 on this if he were elected.

Trump is openly hostile to the LGBTQ+ community. He’s enacted policies such as recognizing only two legal genders, banning transgender individuals from the military, and requiring them to compete in sports leagues based on their biological gender. Poilievre, while not supportive of the LGBTQ+ community, is significantly less extreme than Trump.

This whole subject can be summed up as “less extreme.” Both Trump and Poilievre fall on the right of the political spectrum, but Poilievre is consistently less extreme in his positions. It would be a significant departure for him to suddenly act like Trump if elected.