Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives haven’t reached the end of their journey. The campaign might be starting to shift in their favor, even though poll numbers continue to show Liberal leads.
Poilievre has attracted 16,000 individuals to an event. rally outside Edmonton , 5,000 in Surrey, BC, 6,500 in Oshawa, and 3,000 in Kingston—all located in Ontario.
These are staggering figures for Canadian political gatherings. The Conservatives did not fabricate these numbers.
Activists mention that they barely need to put effort into organizing events. All they do is announce the time and place for a Poilievre gathering, and large crowds of eager supporters show up.
This issue began when the campaign commenced. The gatherings demonstrate strong backing for the Conservatives throughout much of the nation.
A recent survey indicated that the Conservatives' level of general backing has returned to being neck-and-neck with their competitors.
Now, a fresh element has emerged that might significantly alter the national sentiment towards Poilievre.
The key person behind the campaign has vanished without a trace.
U.S. President Donald Trump unexpectedly has nothing more to say regarding Canada, the 51st state, or anything related to those topics.
The entire Liberal campaign revolved around the perceived existential threat posed by Trump to Canada, with an emphasis on Carney's alleged capability to combat this issue.
Trump’s hostility, contempt and insults generated those Liberal leads.
Carney appeared as the ideal Canadian contrast to Trump — gentle, humble, and capable.
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Currently, Canada has mostly faded out of focus in US media. The spotlight has shifted towards China, Europe, and others. certain penguin islands , since the madhouse world tariff announcement on April 2nd.
Trump also granted Canada a broad tariff relief For all aspects covered by the free-trade agreement.
Significant duties continue to affect steel, aluminum, and automobiles; however, overall, Canada and Mexico were affected about as minimally as nearly any other nation (with the exception of Russia).
The opponent who wished to incorporate Canada into their territory appeared to understand the interconnectedness of North America's economic system.
The Liberal Leader and Prime Minister Mark Carney might be entitled to take some credit for this halt in hostilities. He could potentially deserve recognition for it as well.
However, an extended contest against Trump would have been ideal for the Liberals throughout the election.
It appeared not to matter that Poilievre was equally passionate about safeguarding and developing Canada.
Not to mention that the Liberals' key pledges, such as eliminating the carbon tax and making housing more affordable, were originally conservative ideas.
None of it appeared to make a difference when Trump was targeting us nearly every day.
Conservative activists report noticing a change during doorstep interactions. People are refocusing their concerns towards economic issues and evaluating the Liberals' track record.
Trump’s tariffs on Canada and assaults on the world trading system will hurt the country. Business is already slowing and inflation could spike.
This brings the campaign squarely back into the Conservatives' comfort zone.
They question how the Liberals could assert their capability to reconstruct Canada when they have hindered economic expansion, created substantial budget deficits, impeded crucial initiatives, and barely grew beyond the public sector.
Carney's responses aren't always coherent, particularly when he pledges to raise the oil and gas emission limits at some point, only for his minister to contradict him shortly after.
The Conservative Party still faces a challenging path to triumph. Their difficulty in overturning the Liberals' advantage in the key region of Toronto will not be straightforward.
Ontario Tory Premier Doug Ford, just re-elected, marches with Liberal Carney and his efforts to save the auto industry .
This scenario is one Western Canadians have seen many times before. A solid partnership between Ontario and federal entities can prove highly potent when aiming to win over the numerous voters in southern Ontario.
Poilievre is similarly susceptible to being ideologically linked with Trump. A significant number of his followers once held admiration for the president, though this changed when Trump began expressing contempt for Canada.
The Liberals persistently hammer away at this issue.
Of course, there is also a possibility that Trump might come back with further threats to our economy and sovereignty.
No one really understands this fellow. However, at present, the campaign might be changing ground beneath the Liberals' position.
Donald Braid’s article features frequently in the Herald.
X and Bluesky : @DonBraid