Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, has been making headlines with his recent comments at a Stampede BBQ in Calgary, where he took a shot at Ontario Premier Doug Ford and his team.
During his introduction of newly elected B.C. Conservative Party Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Poilievre made a direct reference to Ford and his team, labeling them as "Liberal lobbyists from out east." This comment was seen as a personal attack on Kory Teneycke, a prominent Conservative figure who has worked with Ford on several occasions.
However, the comment was not just a jab at Teneycke; it also targeted Ford and his team, who had previously worked to elect Poilievre as Conservative leader and prime minister. Smearing those stalwarts of his previous team was a small price for Poilievre to pay to get in a dig at Teneycke and Ford.
Teneycke, a seasoned Conservative, has been active in politics since the late 1990s and has worked with several prominent Conservative leaders, including Stephen Harper. He is also an old friend of Poilievre's former campaign manager, Jenni Byrne.
Despite their past relationship, Poilievre's decision to use his Stampede BBQ speech to pick a fight with Ford and his team is seen as a major misstep. Instead of mending fences, as promised by his chief of staff and campaign manager, Steve Outhouse, Poilievre is making matters worse.
The rift between Ford and Poilievre didn't start in the last election; it goes back much further. Ford called Poilievre after he won the Conservative leadership, but Poilievre never returned the call. His lieutenants openly attacked the premier whenever they were in town, which led to a strained relationship.
Poilievre's supporters claim that Ford isn't a true Conservative, but this label doesn't apply to Ford's record. He has won three majority governments, and his approach to politics is different from that of Poilievre and his team. Poilievre's decision to alienate Ford and his team will only hurt his chances at the ballot box.
With his comments on the weekend, Poilievre has also angered and alienated some of his most loyal supporters who worked directly for him. It's unclear whether he wants to be smug and right in his own mind or whether he wants to win elections. Right now, it's not clear that he wants to win.
