Share this Story : National Post Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Jamie Sarkonak: How Conservatives can better target Mark Carney

Spending energy on losing battles is not exactly strategic

You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.

Not all battles should be fought, and in recent weeks, the federal Conservatives haven’t always been strategic in those they take on. During the Trudeau years, Leader Pierre Poilievre truly revolutionized how Conservatives do comms. The party could benefit more from Poilievre’s talents if it understood Prime Minister Mark Carney is a less easy target.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.

Unlimited online access to National Post.

National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.

Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.

Unlimited online access to National Post.

National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.

Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.

Support local journalism.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account.

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.

Enjoy additional articles per month.

Get email updates from your favourite authors.

Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.

Access articles from across Canada with one account

Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments

Enjoy additional articles per month

Get email updates from your favourite authors

Sign In or Create an Account

This would include, for example, keeping their powder dry over the Liberal conquest of House of Commons committees. It’s one thing to point out the fact that the Liberals are seizing control of committees by adding enough new Liberal seats to each to torpedo any Parliamentary investigation, something that they can now do as a majority government. And yes, that majority government was obtained in a less-than-honourable fashion, by luring opposing MPs to cross the floor. It’s entirely sensible for the Conservatives to talk about it, even though it’s within the rules of our democracy.

Jamie Sarkonak: How Conservatives can better target Mark Carney Back to video

But it’s another thing to go a step further and imply that what the Liberals are doing is illegitimate. Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer seemed to do that last week when he urged the Liberals not to “stack the deck.”

This newsletter from NP Comment tackles the topics you care about. (Subscriber-exclusive edition on Fridays)

There was an error, please provide a valid email address.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of Platformed will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

“At the very least, they should preserve the power of the opposition to investigate Liberal corruption scandals and to litigate bad Liberal policy,” he told reporters two weeks ago. He later proposed that the Liberals, out of the kindness of their hearts, leave the ethics, government estimates and public accounts committees as they are.

It’s a plea that, of course, went unheeded. The rules of the game are such that majority governments can hand themselves a majority on committees. Like it or not, the job of politicians is to skewer their opponents and deny them opportunity whenever the chance arises.

The Conservatives have made a tripping hazard for their future selves. Imagine that, one day, the shoe is on the other foot: a future governing Conservative caucus grows from minority to majority overnight after finding some new common cause with a couple of centrists on the other side. When or if that time comes, they damn well should reconstitute their committees. Why open themselves up now to charges of hypocrisy?

The better option? Use the opportunity to educate the public on the importance of committees and the coming lack of accountability.

Sometimes acting strategically means not acting at all. When the prime minister took to YouTube in what was essentially a “Here’s what I’m doing; here’s where I’m going” video, it was well-received by all appearances. Mark Carney came across as measured and well-spoken; he referred back to his central banker past without being cringe about it; and he invoked the War of 1812 with a figurine of one of its Canadian heroes, Sir Isaac Brock.

That doesn’t make Carney a good prime minister, but it does make him a more formidable opponent than Justin Trudeau, who struggled to compete with the Conservatives online after Pierre Poilievre became leader.

If the Conservatives were to engage at all with Carney’s video, their focus should have been on the content. And granted, that’s what Poilievre did — but he distracted from this by also calling Carney a showboater. Politico’s headline? “Poilievre calls on Carney to stop ‘showboating’ and focus on fighting U.S. tariffs.”

Judge demands Indigenous sentencing report after offender claims he's 'Caucasian': 'He is plainly not' Canada

Judge demands Indigenous sentencing report after offender claims he's 'Caucasian': 'He is plainly not'

FIRST READING: Why the Americans are coming hard for supply management NP Comment

FIRST READING: Why the Americans are coming hard for supply management

Advertisement 1Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.document.addEventListener(`DOMContentLoaded`,function(){let template=document.getElementById(`oop-ad-template`);if(template&&!template.dataset.adInjected){let clone=template.content.cloneNode(!0);template.replaceWith(clone),template.parentElement&&(template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected=`true`)}});

Jesse Kline: Carney's fiscal update denies reality, gravity to save the whales NP Comment

Jesse Kline: Carney's fiscal update denies reality, gravity to save the whales

Ted Morton: Supreme Court teamed up with Trudeau to reverse the Constitution NP Comment

Ted Morton: Supreme Court teamed up with Trudeau to reverse the Constitution

As Trump readies forced-labour tariffs, Canada hopes for another reprieve News

As Trump readies forced-labour tariffs, Canada hopes for another reprieve

“The only talks that Mark Carney is doing are YouTube videos where he’s comparing himself to Sir Isaac Brock and holding up little figurines in his office,” Poilievre told reporters last week. “So he told all of you the other day that with his new majority, he was going to stop showboating. And then a few days later he put out a showboating YouTube video.”

Poilievre, UFC attendee. Poilievre, Joe Rogan podcast guest. Poilievre, apple eater. At this point, I can’t count the videos of Poilievre walking around Canada (and more recently, the U.K.). He’s stood in front of Vancouver’s multi-million-dollar shacks that young people can’t afford to show just how destitute we are; he’s made a point of working in stark visuals of decline. And he also broadcasts the good: open fields, hardworking people, etc. In a video three years ago, he marvelled at the wood he’d used to build a cabin, which had been processed by loggers decades earlier, using it to represent his plans for Canada. Last year, he spoke to a bust of Sir John A. Macdonald.

Polievre’s prop game was unparalleled long before he became leader, and the videos he’s churned out since have been excellent. It’s a good talent to have, the drawback being that no showboating accusation against an opponent will ever land.

Alas, there is a similar hazard on high-speed rail now: the Liberals are planning to build a $90 billion line running from Toronto to Quebec City, which is likely to go over budget, which the Conservatives have sensibly called out as absurd. But Poilievre took it further, denouncing the proposed expropriations it’ll take to get the line built: “Your property is not safe under this Liberal government. Conservatives will reinstate your right to have your property. We will stop the confiscations. Property rights are human rights.”

It’s fine to oppose a project whose numbers don’t add up, and a specific plan to expropriate. But opposing expropriation in general as the party with grand plans to build infrastructure? That’s a recipe for hypocrisy or for not getting anything done. The unfortunate downside to widening highways is that some people have to lose their property; it’s important to handle that respectfully and be as fair as possible, but it can’t be avoided if anything is to ever get built.

It’s little gaffes like these that tap the brakes on Conservative momentum. Minor, ill-timed responses to Liberal hijinks do not paint a picture of a poised adversary taking advantage of this time to plan for regime change. Instead, it seems that a lot of energy is being spent on firing off every shot that makes itself available. No doubt it energizes some supporters, but it’s not exactly strategic.

Share this Story : National Post Copy Link Email X Reddit Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information.

Canadian concert tours: Hottest tickets in 2026 Bruno Mars, RAYE and Zach Bryan are on sale now 17 hours ago Music

Canadian concert tours: Hottest tickets in 2026

Bruno Mars, RAYE and Zach Bryan are on sale now

Best standup comedy shows in Canada near you this week Nate Bargatze, Naomi Watanabe and Ali Wong are on sale now 17 hours ago Entertainment

Best standup comedy shows in Canada near you this week

Nate Bargatze, Naomi Watanabe and Ali Wong are on sale now

Six Canadian made Mother's Day gifts you can't go wrong with These must-haves will make for a happy Mom on May 10. 19 hours ago Life

Six Canadian made Mother's Day gifts you can't go wrong with

These must-haves will make for a happy Mom on May 10.

Advertisement 2Story continues belowThis advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.document.addEventListener(`DOMContentLoaded`,function(){let template=document.getElementById(`oop-ad-template`);if(template&&!template.dataset.adInjected){let clone=template.content.cloneNode(!0);template.replaceWith(clone),template.parentElement&&(template.parentElement.dataset.adInjected=`true`)}});

McDonald’s new dirty sodas and refreshers are a permanent addition to Canadian menus — here are all the details Catch us sippin’ this summer. 19 hours ago Food & Drinks

McDonald’s new dirty sodas and refreshers are a permanent addition to Canadian menus — here are all the details

Catch us sippin’ this summer.

I flew 10 hours in Turkish Airlines' new business class suites — here's what $3500 gets you The airline is rolling out its newly designed Crystal Business Class suites on Canadian routes this year. 21 hours ago Travel

I flew 10 hours in Turkish Airlines' new business class suites — here's what $3500 gets you

The airline is rolling out its newly designed Crystal Business Class suites on Canadian routes this year.

© National Post