Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre expresses high confidence in his ability to lead his party into the upcoming election. During an exclusive interview on “Rosemary Barton Live,” Poilievre stated that he is optimistic about the direction of both January and the next election.
In January, Poilievre will undergo a mandatory leadership review where his caucus will decide on his continued leadership. The party’s constitution mandates a vote on a leader’s future if they do not resign after an election defeat. This review will be the first test of Poilievre’s leadership since the Conservatives lost in the federal election in April, resulting in Poilievre losing the Ottawa seat he held for two decades.
Despite the setback, the Conservatives gained 24 new seats and secured 42 percent of the total votes, a strong performance in comparison to previous Canadian elections. Following a byelection victory in the Alberta riding Battle River-Crowfoot in August, Poilievre returned to the House of Commons.
Recently, some Conservative MPs questioned Poilievre’s leadership after his critical comments about RCMP leadership. Poilievre believes that his key to gaining party support lies in doing a good job, emphasizing that his approach in January should mirror his strategy on election day.
Reflecting on past Conservative leaders, Poilievre aims to follow in the footsteps of Stephen Harper, who remained as leader after an election loss and later served as prime minister for nearly a decade. Unlike Erin O’Toole and Andrew Scheer, who were removed from their leadership positions following election defeats in 2021 and 2019, respectively, Poilievre remains hopeful for a second chance from his party.
For more insights, the full interview with Poilievre will be broadcast on “Rosemary Barton Live” on Sunday at 10 a.m. ET.