So Trudeau has finally resigned. 

The Liberals’ Atlantic, the Quebec and the Ontario  caucuses all decided he had to go.

From the crowing by the media, you’d think everyone in Canada is rejoicing, I am not. I’ve never voted Liberal, nor have I donated to the party.  I am way to the left of the Liberals – and also to the left of the NDP. 

But let’s think back to Trudeau’s record. 

I know he was “helped along” by the NDP, and that’s the way it should be. That’s the good thing about having a minority government.

Looking at my chart below, do you think we can really afford to lose everything on the left side? We well might if Poilievre becomes PM. To curry political favour, he hasn’t openly proposed any “cuts” to services, but there is no way he can give tax breaks to the rich and also fund services for the rest of us. Then there is the little matter of the fact he wants to buy or build more pipelines – an environmental nightmare. 

Poilievre defended the “barbaric cultural practices tip line” and also the “niqab ban” at citizenship ceremonies. 

We shouldn’t be surprised.  As a cabinet minister in Harper’s government  during the 2015 federal election campaign (which the Tories lost), Poilievre defended the “barbaric cultural practices tip line” and also the “niqab ban” at citizenship ceremonies.  Both of which are racist.

Almost one year ago, 11 Jan. 2024, an Abacus Data poll revealed the Conservatives had 37 per cent of the female vote, the Liberals 25 per cent, just ahead of the NDP’s at 24 per cent. Conservative writer, and former speechwriter for Stephen Harper,  Michael Taube noted, “This is an astonishing development. Women have been solidly in the Liberal/progressive camp for decades.” But that has changed!

A poll released this past weekend by Research Co. showed that 47% of decided voters would vote Tory.  What is more shocking is there is no gender gap between male and female voters: equal proportions of men and women are now willing to vote for Poilievre.   Somehow he’s managed to bridge that divide which has cropped up in earlier polls.  As recently as October 2024 for example, 38% of men and and 43% of women had a negative impression of Poilievre – up 5% and 4% respectively from the previous month.   

Why the change?  Are women becoming more reactionary – or is Canada’s population moving right? The increasing cost of food, rent, staples like milk, eggs, diapers and clothing – issues pertaining  “the umbrella of motherhood–”  led to what Conservative writer Taub called “homesteading.”  He writes that during the Covid-19 pandemic, many women had to leave work, stay home with the children (who were out of school and daycare).  They became more ensconced at home, made bread, canned food and took on various domestic projects. Taub insists many women felt that Poilievre was listening to their concerns. 

When Poilievre ditched his suit and glasses…

Except for a few right wing commentators, there hasn’t been much analysis on why women are turning to Poilievre. The National Post’s Tristan Hopper claims that Poilievre’s ditching his suit and tie, his glasses, as well as doing walkabouts with his wife on his arm has improved his image.  Hopper also believes that Poilievre has stopped coming across as quite so angry as he used to be. That could have helped. 

There was a good analysis from economist Armine Yalnizyan among others about women being forced back into the home due to childcare issues during Covid.  That women’s opportunities and careers were largely put on ice for months if not years– she called it a she-cession.  But so far, there is not much analysis about why women who historically tended to vote centre or left are now moving right. 

What Trudeau did	What Poilievre promises to do
Free or discounted Dental Care for children, disabled and elderly, plus people with no dental plan/insurance	Dismantle the CBC (keep Radio-Canada)
Free contraceptive drugs and free access to first-line diabetes medications.  New fund established to subsidise devices to Diabetic patients	“The number 1 cost for a home is government: government bureaucrats, government taxes, government gatekeepers,” Poilievre said he will scrap all Liberal housing policies.  And give tax breaks  to those in the construction industry.
National School Food Program:  $1 billion over 5 years to deliver health school meals to 400,000 more students across Canada than before.  In NS, schools charge parents about $6 a meal, or part of it or it can be free.	Axe the carbon tax and “push aggressively to build natural gas export facilities, pipelines, mines and hydro projects.”
Daycare-  federal subsidies to all provinces and territories– half now offer $10 a day regulated child care; the other half of the prov. and territories have reduced child care fees by 50%	Bring in “jail not bail” for repeat violent offenders
Taxing rich people’s capital gains at a higher rate than before. The government said this would raise $19.4 bn in the next five years.	“An apple a day will keep the woke journalists away.” See this
Former PM Harper raised the age for receiving OAS (Old Age Security) to 67.  Trudeau rolled it back to 65

So we are now in a place many of us don’t want to be. 

With Parliament prorogued, it’s a short leap to a federal election being called perhaps for as early as May. 

Nobody said they voted for Mulroney, but many somebodies did

In the 1984 election, Mulroney’s Tories had an historic win of 211 seats. 

Pundits say this year’s election  will be a landslide victory for Poilievre– I heard yesterday the Conservatives could win upwards of 240 seats.  

Right after Mulroney’s victory – nobody I knew would admit to having voted for him.  But many somebodies did. We better not have that again. 

Featured image at the top: The Library of Parliament in Ottawa. The sculpture front and centre is of Queen Victoria. Sculpture by English artist Marshall Wood (1834-1882).