Can Pierre Poilievre contain the populist beast he has unleashed?
The polarizing Conservative leadership front-runner “caught a tiger by the tail and he may not be able to control what he has created.”
Having just watched the first episode of the hyped-up “Rings of Power” streaming series, it got me thinking about the upcoming Sept. 10 coronation of Pierre Poilievre and the path the new leader of the federal Conservative party will choose as the ring-bearer of the Official Opposition.
Like the dwarves who dug too deep for riches in the mines of Moria, Poilievre has plumbed the depths of social media for conspiracy theories and grievance rhetoric, coming up with campaign gold by embracing the freedom convoy and anti-vaxxers. It has earned him a ton cash for party coffers and a record number of new memberships.
The question now is whether Poilievre can contain the populist beast he has unleashed by channelling his inner Stephen Harper, or whether he’d rather hop on its back, ring firmly embedded, and burn the place down.
