Keith 🇨🇦

The pundits chirping about @PierrePoilievre’s leadership of the @CPC_HQ seem to forget that he just won 87% in a leadership review vote. Under his leadership a year ago, the Conservative Party won by far the largest number of votes in its history, and the highest share of popular vote since 1988. He has expanded the Conservative coalition in important ways, and has been perhaps the most effective opposition leader in modern Canadian history, driving Justin Trudeau out of office, and defining the key issues in national politics for most of his tenure. I have been critical (constructively, I hope) about some aspects of his leadership, including the admittedly difficult problem of how to deal with the destabilizing threats and uncertainty emanating from Donald Trump. But I am encouraged to see Mr. Poilievre modifying his approach to address lessons learned from the last election, e.g. his recent trips abroad, and a broader approach to communications. There is no doubt in my mind that he has the confidence of the Conservative Party, and has won the right to contest the next election. And to the small number of Conservatives who might be sceptical, I ask them how the party benefits from the constant internal strife of changing leaders? What message would it send to Canadians to have a seventh leader (including interims) since 2015? IMO the Liberal majority should be seen by Conservatives as an opportunity to: - demonstrate the maturity and discipline expected of a government in waiting; - focus on offering constructive ideas that address Canada’s deep challenges, as opposed to a perennially angry clickbait oppositional approach; - recruit talented candidates with senior private sector and government leadership experience who can help present a team that’s ready to govern; - demonstrate that Conservatives do not regard the Trump phenomenon as a distraction to be downplayed, but a serious and disruptive threat to our sovereignty and prosperity to be addressed head-on; - have the courage to lead responsibly on difficult issues, like the need for root and branch reform of the broken immigration system; promoting the duty of newcomers to integrate; reversing the woke denigration of Canada’s historically grounded identity and institutions, etc; challenging the growing abuse of judicial power in the criminal justice system, etc.; - clearly demonstrate that ours is the party of Confederation by helping to lead the fight for national unity against potential secession referenda in Alberta & Quebec. Canadians want and deserve a serious opposition that fulfils its constitutional duty to offer an alternative government. IMO, that means maintaining strong, stable, patriotic leadership that can learn from past mistakes, while building with confidence.