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Ben Woodfinden: Pierre Poilievre's stoic case for drill, drill, drill

The Conservative leader outlines the only way to respond to Trump: worry about only what we can control

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In Toronto on Thursday, Pierre Poilievre gave a speech at the Economic Club of Canada that was billed as “a vision for Canada-U.S. relations.” Since last year’s election, Poilievre has faced consistent criticism over his inability to offer a serious response to President Donald Trump’s tariff and 51st state threats (even though this is unfair and much of what he said in yesterday’s speech he has been saying for over a year). The speech was full of substantive and new policy ideas, but perhaps most interestingly, Poilievre sketched out in the speech a philosophical worldview that would serve as a basis and strategy for handling Trump and an increasingly unstable world, a worldview we can call “national stoicism.”

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Poilievre began his speech with a quote from the Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius: “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” This was not a throwaway line; it was the organizing principle of the entire address. Juno News journalist Cosmin Dzsurdzsa was quick to name it: national stoicism.

Ben Woodfinden: Pierre Poilievre's stoic case for drill, drill, drill Back to video

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