Pierre Poilievre: The Bio (english)
Our English biography of Poilievre. French Version very soon!
We have done tons of research into the life of Pierre Poilievre. We have read two biographies— Pierre Poilievre by Andrew Lawton and Ripper, the Making of Pierre Poilievre by Mark Bourrie. Along with that, we have gone through some 50ish articles, and watched interviews from various points in his career. We present it to you, our paid subscribers, and
The French version will be out later today.
Pierre Poilievre’s biological mother is Jacqueline Farrell. She became pregnant at the age of sixteen, and his biological father vanished from the scene, remaining unknown. With no family support, Jacqueline initially considered keeping the baby but ultimately chose adoption. Pierre was born on June 3, 1979, and was adopted by Marlene and Donald Poilievre, both schoolteachers. He grew up in Calgary, Alberta, during the worldwide economic crisis of the 1980s—a period he later blamed on liberal policies, although the crisis was a global phenomenon and is often considered the worst since the Great Depression.
During that time, his adoptive father came out as gay. This fact is particularly notable given that Pierre had once voted against gay rights during Paul Martin’s leadership, though he has since criticized conservatives who oppose those rights. Always athletic, Pierre was a competitive wrestler and was frequently seen at gyms around Ottawa. Unfortunately, a bout of tendonitis ended his aspirations of pursuing Olympic wrestling.
After his sports career was cut short, Pierre began attending progressive conservative meetings with his mother. As a teenager, he criticized the political left for relying on empty catchphrases and she made him come to anti-abortion rallies with her. In the 1990s, he volunteered for the Reform Party—the precursor to the Progressive Conservatives under Stephen Harper. While in grade eleven, he worked for Telus in corporate collections, and in grade twelve, MP Art Hanger hired him to work on his election campaign. This marked the true beginning of his political career, during which he quickly developed his signature style of pithy slogans and direct attacks against perceived abuses of power.
At university, Poilievre studied international relations with the intention of pursuing a career in politics, even though his specific ambitions were not yet fully defined. He later remarked, “I knew I was generally interested in politics, and that international relations would give me an overview of almost all aspects of the political environment.” He considered himself part of a new political movement and often felt like an outsider. His Roman Catholic faith, his Alberta roots, and his distinct social outlook contributed to his sense of being marginalized by mainstream society. Friends and colleagues frequently note his unwavering consistency. With Poilievre, what you see is what you get.
At the outset of his career, Poilievre firmly believed that politicians should serve no more than two terms. He stated, “Politics should not be a lifelong career. Elected officials should not be allowed to fix themselves in the halls of power of a nation. I would resign after serving my second term in office.” Elected for the first time in 2004, he has since participated in six federal elections. Throughout his college years and beyond, he consistently expressed his ambition to become Prime Minister.
When he arrived in Ottawa in the late 1990s, he encountered numerous setbacks and feelings of isolation—a sentiment shared by many former Reform Party staffers who struggled with the entrenched bureaucracy and transient culture of the capital. Although he longed for mainstream acceptance, his views often set him apart, leaving him and his friends ostracized even among mainstream conservatives. This dynamic shifted somewhat when Stephen Harper began to elevate his profile, though Harper eventually disappointed him.
Poilievre’s disillusionment with Harper grew after rumors emerged that Harper intended to steer Canada toward what author Marci McDonald described as a Christian extremist agenda. These rumours wound up being unfounded, and Harper did not follow a Christian extremist agenda. This let down Poilievre enormously.
Poilievre’s disapproval led him to hold secret meetings with other conservatives to shift the party further to the right. According to Andrew Lawton’s 2024 biography of Poilievre, he was part of a caucus group during the Harper years that met weekly to explore ways to force the conservative party further right. Over time, Poilievre became increasingly obsessed with achieving victory, feeling that Harper and subsequent conservative leaders were unwilling to work rapidly enough or significantly reduce the size of government. It is clear enough he admires the speed at which allies such as Donald Trump operate.
Notably, Poilievre opposed programs that directly supported women, asserting to his friends that men should be the head of the household and strongly criticizing public daycare initiatives proposed by Paul Martin.
Many have observed that in private, Poilievre appears amicable and calm—often described as pleasant when not engaged in political debate. However, when the cameras roll or large crowds gather, his performance becomes notably theatrical and superficial.
Early in his career as an MP, Poilievre gained notoriety for advocating increased funding for autistic children, partnering with NDP politicians in his criticisms of the Martin government. His knack for delivering pithy insults quickly made him a prominent, if controversial, figure—one whom Stephen Harper reportedly used to absorb political criticism while maintaining a more professional cabinet image.
In 2005, as the youngest MP in the House of Commons, Poilievre controversially requested that the Queen dismiss Governor General Michaëlle Jean due to her support for the Quebec sovereignty movement—a request that was ultimately denied. His boldness and passion resonated with many in his riding, as he won more than 50% of the vote in the following election.
In 2008, when the government apologized for abuses in the residential school system, he remarked that “former residential school students need a stronger work ethic, not more compensation dollars.” The comment sparked widespread media backlash, and he later issued an apology. He has repeated similar statements repeatedly since.
After serving four years, Poilievre emerged as a vocal attack dog for the Conservatives—often disruptive in Parliament to the point of having his microphone turned off. He became known for generating controversy, a role that served the Harper government’s need to project a combative image.
In 2014, Poilievre spearheaded the Fair Elections Act, a bill reducing access to voting and imposing harsh penalties on those attempting to vote without proper identification. He later pushed for the Citizen Voting Act, which would further restrict the ability of expatriates to register to vote.
Toward the end of the Harper era, he supported Andrew Scheer’s bid for party leadership, reflecting their close friendship and shared political views. In 2016, he introduced an act aimed at removing income tax for persons with disabilities. Although the NDP backed the proposal, the Liberal government and the Bloc Québécois defeated it.
After two consecutive Conservative losses to the Liberals—first under Harper and then under Scheer—Poilievre briefly considered a leadership bid but decided against it to spend more time with his wife and children. However, he eventually entered the 2022 Conservative leadership race, declaring his ambition to make Canada “the freest country on earth,” a stance consistent with his libertarian populist views.
During this period, amid the divisive convoy rallies in Ottawa, Poilievre openly expressed his support by attending events and taking photographs with rally attendees. He leveraged the movement as a cornerstone of his election campaign and leadership bid, achieving unprecedented fundraising success and ultimately winning the leadership election.
Once in power, Poilievre centered his political strategy on targeting Prime Minister Trudeau. He structured debates and policy discussions around Trudeau, with much of the campaign narrative revolving around his personal image—a shift reflecting a more personality-driven era in Canadian politics. Despite earlier opposition to childcare funding, he later instructed his Conservative staff to vote for bills supporting early learning and childcare when they were introduced by the Trudeau government.
He also introduced legislation to divert funds from bureaucratic spending toward new housing projects and opposed updates to free trade agreements with Ukraine.
In mid-2024, after frequently using the term “wacko,” Poilievre was ejected from Parliament. Shortly thereafter, CSIS released documents alleging interference by the Indian and Chinese governments in the 2022 Conservative Party leadership election—a development Poilievre only learned about later due to his refusal to obtain security clearance. Notably, when Prime Minister Trudeau offered to disclose the names of implicated MPs, CSIS denied Poilievre access to that information because of his security clearance status.
He is extremely smart, and skilled at politics. Today he is in a race against the liberals, and falling behind in the polls as of writing. As to what will happen, it is almost impossible to say. 31 days is a longer time than you think, especially in politics.
Policy Positions
Some key policy positions and proposals associated with Poilievre include:
Advocating for the introduction of right-to-work laws in Canada.
Supporting reduced taxes on the ultra-rich and increased deregulation of industry.
Aiming to eliminate budget deficits.
Seeking to reduce bureaucratic inefficiencies in Parliament.
Opposing certain press freedom measures—specifically, he disagrees with the media’s access to Parliament and has proposed defunding the CBC.
Arguing against raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour, favoring a lower rate.
Favoring the privatization of more housing and the conversion of unused government buildings into housing.
Believing that climate action should be pursued through increased green energy production and carbon storage while eliminating carbon pricing for corporations.
Supporting abortion rights and same-sex marriage.
Rejecting the concept of transgender identity and opposing transgender healthcare.
Being pro-immigration but advocating for a cap of around 100,000 new immigrants per year.
Endorsing the privatization of healthcare, while claiming to support the public system.
SOURCES
CBC – Conservative MP apologizes for hurtful comments on aboriginal people
Sutherland House Books – Pierre Poilievre
https://sutherlandhousebooks.com/product/pierre-poilievre/Biblioasis – "Ripper: The Making of Pierre Poilievre"
https://www.biblioasis.com/shop/forthcoming/ripper-the-making-of-pierre-poilievre/Vox – Canada's Pierre Poilievre, Conservative Party, Populism & Democracy
https://www.vox.com/politics/24140480/canada-pierre-poilievre-conservative-party-populism-democracyPolitico – Poilievre Fires Tiff Macklem During Bank Debate
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/05/11/pierre-poilievre-fire-tiff-macklem-canada-bank-debate-00032012The Walrus – Is Canada Ready for Life Without the CBC?
https://thewalrus.ca/is-canada-ready-for-life-without-the-cbc-pierre-poilievre-thinks-soGlobal News – Poilievre Pressured to Explain Misogynist YouTube Tag
https://globalnews.ca/news/9181715/poilievre-pressured-explain-misogynist-youtube-tag/Britannica – Pierre Poilievre Biography
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pierre-PoilievreCounterfire – Pierre Poilievre: Canada's Tories, an Attack Dog at the Ready
https://www.counterfire.org/article/pierre-poilievre-canada-s-tories-an-attack-dog-at-the-ready/Lethbridge News Now – From Harper to Poilievre: Conservative Vision for Indigenous Peoples
https://lethbridgenewsnow.com/2023/09/28/from-harper-to-poilievre-what-is-the-conservative-vision-for-indigenous-peoples/
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