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TURKEY TALK — If PIERRE POILIEVRE opens his mouth in the House of Commons, expect him to talk about the economy. The Canada-India diplomatic deep freeze has drifted off the Conservative leader's radar. Even pointed questions about a Nazi veteran in the House are fading faster than the fall colors.
Poilievre and Co. are devoting entire question periods to the high cost of groceries and housing, punctuated by persistent claims that a federal carbon price is — and we're paraphrasing here — the spawn of Satan. A Tory opposition motion condemning the carbon tax failed along party lines in a Wednesday vote (though Liberal MP KEN MCDONALD, a Newfoundlander, sided with the Official Opposition). Add that vote to the list of Conservative grievances repeated daily in the backbenches. — Spin cycle: Poilievre has devised a reliable formula for many of his attacks. He digs up an injustice somewhere in the real world, weaponizes it against the government, and personally blames Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU for whatever is the bad thing. Case study: "Today we learned that a turkey can cost up to C$120," Poilievre claimed in the House — a scandalous cash-grab for a family that just wants to be thankful and chow down. He called on the PM to cut taxes and spending in time for the annual feast. Poilievre rarely invents facts out of thin air. Statistics Canada reminded us in its most recent inflation data that grocery prices remain elevated. He does omit key context, but also typically cites a source that backs up his reliably intentional phrasing. In this case, BlogTO wrote a tut-tutting tale about a Toronto Longo's that charged 120 bucks for a bird, pointing to a Reddit thread as evidence. An aggrieved Redditor had posted a photo of a fully cooked "festive oven roasted turkey." The price: C$119.99. Spoiler alert: That is not a typical turkey tab. But photo evidence is photo evidence. A Canadian turkey can "cost up to C$120." Kinda. WHAT POILIEVRE ISN'T TALKING ABOUT — The rights of trans kids. The rights of parents. Conservative policy on gender-affirming surgery or single-sex spaces. A group of "Save the Children" conspiracy theorists camped out east of Ottawa who are reportedly planning rotating demonstrations near the Hill. There's a reason for that reticence. — The culture wars are lurking: Trudeau and Poilievre entered the chat in September when "One Million March for Children" protests and counter-protests took to the streets in major Canadian cities. The demonstrators claimed only to oppose teachers' efforts to educate kids about LGBTQ issues, not LGBTQ people themselves. In Ottawa, many booed and hissed at counter-protesters who held signs advocating trans rights. Hate was in the air. Trudeau's take on X: "Transphobia, homophobia, and biphobia have no place in this country. We strongly condemn this hate and its manifestations, and we stand united in support of 2SLGBTQI+ Canadians across the country — you are valid and you are valued." Poilievre, whose office instructed MPs not to comment on the issue, zeroed in on that word hate. "Justin Trudeau always divides to distract from all he has broken. This time, he is demonizing concerned parents," Poilievre X-ed a day later. "Parents should be the final authority on the values and lessons that are taught to children. Trudeau should butt out and let parents raise their kids." Was Trudeau condemning every single marcher, even those expressing quiet concern? The Muslim Association of Canada seemed to think so, releasing a statement that amplified Poilievre's interpretation. Was Poilievre ignoring hate? Is it possible for political leaders to have a reasonable conversation about any of this? — What the data says: The Angus Reid Institute polled Canadians extensively on various aspects of culture wars in September, including flashpoints on gender identity. Instead of polarization, the pollster mostly found complexity. "You've got the defiant objectors and the zealous activists who are consumed by these conversations," Angus Reid President SHACHI KURL told Playbook. "But 60 percent of us are somewhere in the middle, trying to sort out our own opinions. In some cases, there are folks who are just throwing the pillow over their head, saying 'Please make this stop.'" Good luck with that. If you're a parent of young kids, you've probably found yourself in conversations about pronouns and gender identity and what happens at school. — What happens next: Don't expect Poilievre to veer from his economic message track in the House. These particular culture war policy fights are — for now — playing out at the provincial level, in schools and courts and legislatures. But Radio-Canada reported this morning that Conservative insiders are split on how to handle gender issues. There's a chance the debate seeps into Parliament. Saskatchewan Premier SCOTT MOE plans to invoke the constitutional notwithstanding clause to uphold a provincial policy that forces students under 16 to obtain parental consent to change their chosen name and pronouns in school. NDP MP BLAKE DESJARLAIS called on the federal government to "stop the harm against Canadian children." JAMES MALONEY, the parliamentary secretary to Justice Minister ARIF VIRANI, offered tepid criticism of Moe's government. But the PM has, in the past, strongly opposed the clause's invocation. — For now: More turkey talk.
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