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Gunter: Pierre Poilievre's Joe Rogan appearance a strong sign

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If Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre had asked me whether he should go on Joe Rogan’s podcast in the United States this week, I would have told him, “No.”

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I would have been wrong.

Poilievre’s appearance on the world’s No. 1 podcast may well mark the moment when he began turning around Canadian voters’ impression of him.

The public perception of Poilievre has two key features: At times, because of his pursuit of the “zinger” sound bite, he comes off as smug and smarmy – a smart aleck.

And because he has said almost nothing critical for a year about U.S. President Donald Trump and Trump’s baseless tariffs, Poilievre has made it possible for his Liberal and media opponents to portray him as the Northern Trump.

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At a time when Trump is looked upon favourably by no more than 15% of Canadians, Poilievre has allowed himself to be tarred by the Trump brush which is a great detriment to his electoral standing.

And since Trump had appeared with great fanfare on the Rogan show just 11 days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, I would have told Poilievre not to do the same lest he reinforce the impression that he is too much like The Donald.

Trump used his appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience to appeal to male voters 18 to 34, who turned out for him on election day in greater numbers than for previous presidential candidates. “Tech bros” are credited by some with pushing Trump over the top.

Due mostly to his stands on housing affordability and grocery inflation, a similar Canadian demographic backs Poilievre’s party. So perhaps it was thought by Poilievre’s people that getting their man before the same audience might firm up young voters’ support for the Conservatives.

But the response to Poilievre’s Rogan appearance, which first aired Thursday and earned nearly half a million listeners in a matter of hours, went far beyond the Canadian tech-bro segment.

For the first time, Poilievre forcefully criticized Trump on a number of subjects, notably tariffs and the president’s repeated claim our country will become America’s 51st state.

When asked by Rogan what he thought of Trump’s repeated 51st-state wisecracks, Poilievre responded that he wished the president would “Knock that s*** off.”

That’s probably not good enough for the “elbows-up” crowd who have decided Liberal Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford are their champions, but it pretty much sums up the way the majority of Canadians feel about Trump’s bullying jibes.

Poilievre followed up with plenty of talk about how Canada and the United States should be “partners” who are “also friends” rather than trade adversaries.

Poilievre also explained why Trump’s tariffs won’t make America stronger.

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Americans more than foreigners are hurt by tariffs, Poilievre explained. Trump often talks about tariffs as though they are a tax on foreigners shipping imports into the U.S. Other countries’ shippers pay the tariffs to the U.S. government.

But indeed, Trump’s tariffs are a tax paid by American companies and consumers who are buying imports and then paying a premium to the U.S. treasury on top of the import price. And, as Poilievre pointed out, this is all without increasing manufacturing in the U.S., which Trump assured Americans would happen.

The example the Conservative leader gave was Canadian aluminum, which is subject to a 50% Trump tariff. America needs aluminum to build cars and trucks but lacks the raw materials to make their own. So no matter how high the tariffs, the aluminum has to be imported.

Poilievre revealed he has not spoken to Trump about issues as that is the prerogative of the PM.

He defended the oilsands, mutual defence, lumber and Canadian critical minerals among others.

Does the Rogan interview change everything for Poilievre? In no way. But it may mark the moment he stopped hurtling to the bottom and began to rise.

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