Pierre Poilievre: Journey From Being A Paper Boy To Canada's PM-Candidate

Pierre Poilievre, the combative Conservative leader known for his fiery speeches, is now closer than ever to the Prime Minister's Office. As Canada prepares for a federal election on April 28, Mr Poilievre finds himself in a two-way showdown with newly appointed Liberal leader Mark Carney. The 45-year-old has spent nearly two decades in Parliament.

Who Is Pierre Poilievre?

At 20 years of age, Pierre Poilievre had already written his political playbook. In an essay outlining what he would do as prime minister, he argued for smaller government, lower taxes, and more economic freedom - ideas he still champions today.

Now over two decades later, Mr Poilievre leads Canada's Conservative Party and is inching closer to the job he imagined decades ago. With Justin Trudeau stepping down and Mark Carney taking over as Liberal leader, the next election is shaping up to be a fierce contest between two sharply different visions for Canada.

While Mr Poilievre's Conservative Party has long led in national polls, the race has tightened since Trudeau's resignation, with Prime Minister Mark Carney emerging as a strong contender.

Early Life And Education

Pierre Poilievre was born in Calgary, Alberta, on June 3, 1979, to a teenage mother who gave him away. He was adopted shortly after birth by two school teachers. He grew up in a middle-class home in suburban Calgary. 

Growing up in Calgary, Pierre Poilievre delivered newspapers for the 'Calgary Sun' and attended Henry Wise Wood High School. An early shoulder injury ended his stint on the wrestling team, prompting him to explore politics as a hobby.

At 14, he began attending local Tory meetings. By 16, Mr Poilievre was selling Reform Party memberships for former Conservative leader Jason Kenney, canvassing for campaigns, and attending party conventions. He graduated high school in 1997.

He went on to study international relations at the University of Calgary.

It was at university that he met Stockwell Day, a cabinet minister under former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Day was then running for leadership of the Canadian Alliance, a right-leaning party that would eventually merge into today's Conservative Party. Impressed by Mr Poilievre's energy and focus, Day brought him on board to help with outreach on campus.

Business

Pierre Poilievre co-founded a political communications company called 3D Contact with his friend Jonathan Denis, who later served in various high-ranking roles in Alberta's provincial government, including Minister of Justice and Attorney General. The company specialised in outreach and voter contact services, helping Mr Poilievre earn money before and during the early stages of his political career.

Political Career

After Stockwell Day's successful leadership bid, Pierre Poilievre moved to Ottawa as his assistant. One winter evening, Mr Poilievre told Stockwell Day he wanted to run for office himself.

He won his first seat (Nepean-Carleton) in 2004 at the age of 25, becoming one of the youngest Conservative MPs in the House. He defeated Liberal leader David Pratt and has held that seat ever since.

In Ottawa, Pierre Poilievre earned the nickname "Skippy" from colleagues and opponents alike due to his youthful energy and quick, often sharp, retorts in Parliament.

He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board and later to the Prime Minister. In 2013, he was appointed Minister of State for Democratic Reform, followed by a brief tenure as Minister of Employment and Social Development in 2015.

In September 2022, Poilievre won the Conservative Party leadership with a significant majority.

Rift With Donald Trump

Pierre Poilievre has frequently been compared to US President Donald Trump due to his populist rhetoric, confrontational style and use of social media to connect directly with supporters. Both politicians have positioned themselves as champions of the "common people" against perceived elites and have criticised mainstream media outlets.

While the style may seem familiar, Mr Poilievre's approach has taken a different turn, especially in foreign policy. For most of his career, he avoided international affairs. That changed when Trump reignited tensions between the US and Canada - first by casually suggesting that Canada should become America's "51st state", then through a trade war.

This forced Mr Poilievre to speak up. He responded with sharp words, rejecting Trump's remarks and declaring that he would always "put Canada first."

"While Canadians are slow to anger and quick to forgive, once provoked, we fight back. And we will fight back," Mr Poilievre said in a pointed address aimed at Trump in response to his latest tariffs. He also said Trump "stabbed America's best friend in the back."

Trump didn't take kindly to the pushback. In interviews with The Spectator and Fox News, he dismissed Mr Poilievre as "not MAGA enough" and "stupidly no friend of mine."

Controversies

Pierre Poilievre has promised the "biggest crackdown on crime in Canadian history," aiming to keep repeat offenders in jail and toughen sentences. 

The Conservative leader once voted against legalising gay marriage in the early 2000s. Today, he says marriage equality is settled law.

Mr Poilievre has been vocal about vaccine mandates, opposing them during the pandemic. He also supported the 2021 Freedom Convoy, framing it as a stand for individual rights. 

The 2021 Freedom Convoy was a protest led by Canadian truckers against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and pandemic restrictions.

He became a vocal critic of then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's handling of COVID-19 restrictions, calling for the removal of mandates and standing with those protesting the restrictions.

Perhaps one of his most controversial promises is his vow to scrap the federal carbon pricing system for industries, claiming it places an unnecessary burden on Canadian families. Critics argue this leaves unanswered questions about how his government would address the climate crisis.

Mr Poilievre has pledged to scrap the Liberal government's carbon tax, calling it "inflationary." He also plans to repeal the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act and the Impact Assessment Act - two laws he labels as "anti-energy" - and supports reviving the Energy East pipeline project.

Personal Life

In December 2017, Pierre Poilievre married Anaida Poilievre, a former Senate aide, in Portugal. They have two children - a daughter born in 2018 and a son in 2021. Anaida came to Canada as a child refugee from Caracas, Venezuela.

Pierre Poilievre has supported immigrant integration, saying that Canada doesn't need to be a "hyphenated society."