Poilievre was born in Calgary, Alberta, and studied international relations at the University of Calgary, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree. He began his political career working for Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell Day and was first elected to Parliament in 2004, representing Nepean—Carleton and later Carleton. Under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Poilievre served as minister for democratic reform from 2013 to 2015, and minister of employment and social development in 2015. From 2017 to 2022, he was the shadow minister for finance and briefly for jobs and industry. On February 5, 2022, Poilievre announced his campaign for Conservative Party leader and was elected on September 10, 2022, winning on the first ballot. [1]
Early life
Poilievre was born on June 3, 1979, in Calgary, Alberta.[3] His mother, Jacqueline Farrell, was 16 years old when she had him and had recently lost her own mother.[4] She planned to name him Jeff but placed him for adoption.[5] He was adopted by Marlene and Donald Poilievre, two schoolteachers.[6] They later adopted his younger half-brother, Patrick. Pierre grew up in a modest home in Calgary, where he played ice hockey and went camping. He was raised as a Catholic.
Poilievre grew up in Calgary, where he worked as a paperboy and played hockey. He got interested in politics at 14 after attending a political meeting. He joined the Reform Party, helped with political campaigns, and sold party memberships. At 17, he was a delegate at the Reform Party's national convention. He graduated from high school in 1997 and later studied international relations at the University of Calgary. At 19, he protested against his student union, and later won a contest with an essay on individual freedom.[7] He became president of the Young Tories at his university, clashing with others over leadership. In 2000, Poilievre worked for Stockwell Day’s leadership campaign and later became Day’s advisor. He left university in 2002 to work for Day but finished his degree in 2008.[8] Poilievre co-founded a communications company, 3D Contact Inc., and ran for MP in the newly formed Conservative Party.[9][10]
Early political career
Poilievre won the Conservative nomination for the Nepean–Carleton riding in the 2004 election, defeating Liberal incumbent David Pratt. Despite Pratt being a two-term cabinet minister, the race was close, and Poilievre won the seat. At 25, he became the youngest member of the 38th Canadian Parliament.[11] Poilievre was known as a "libertarian-minded" member of his party and earned the nickname "Skippy" early in his career.[12] He introduced bills aimed at helping the Queensway Carleton Hospital and creating a recall system for MPs, though both were defeated.[13] Poilievre also criticized Michaëlle Jean's appointment as Governor General, leading to a petition asking for her dismissal.[14]
Re-elected in 2006 with over 50% of the vote, Poilievre was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board. He worked on the Federal Accountability Act and made controversial comments regarding residential school compensation, which he later apologized for. In 2008, Poilievre was re-elected and became Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister. He represented Canada at the alternative Conference Against Racism and attended the March of the Living. In the 41st Canadian Parliament, Poilievre served as Parliamentary Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure, and Communities. He also supported ending mandatory union dues, aligning with right-to-work principles, which sparked concern among union supporters. [15]
2022 Conservative Party leadership election
After Erin O'Toole was removed as leader in February 2022, Poilievre quickly announced his intention to run for leadership, positioning himself as a frontrunner focused on freedom and reducing the cost of living.[16] He criticized rivals Jean Charest and Patrick Brown, accusing Charest of being too liberal and Brown of supporting a carbon tax. Poilievre’s campaign gained momentum, selling nearly half of the party’s total memberships and earning endorsements from 62 Conservative MPs and former Prime Minister Stephen Harper. His campaign also raised over $4 million, more than half of what all candidates combined raised. [17][18]
Opposition leader
After becoming Conservative leader in 2022, Poilievre formed a leadership team and a 71-member shadow cabinet, including former rivals.[19] Under his leadership, the Conservatives supported some government bills, like funding for childcare, but opposed others over inflation and tax concerns. Poilievre pushed for audits of COVID-19 spending, called for investigations into government contracts with McKinsey, and introduced a housing bill.[20] His criticism of Liberal policies led to contentious moments, including his removal from the House for using unparliamentary language.
↑"MP wants Google boss to explain street cameras; Poilievre wants firm to present its case to privacy committee". Ottawa Citizen. March 30, 2009. p. A1.
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