Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre drew what he confirmed might be the biggest political rally Canada’s ever seen during a rally in Edmonton.
The rally was so large that the venue was changed from the Edmonton Expo Centre to a 365,000-square-foot warehouse just days before the Monday night event. Reports are estimating that at least 15,000 people showed up. The crowd was so large that cell phone service inside the building stopped working.
“This is a movement like we’ve never seen because people want change. They want to put our country first for a change,” Poilievre said, commenting on the size of the rally at a press conference in Edmonton the following day.
Former prime minister Stephen Harper introduced Poilievre at the rally and endorsed the Conservative leader.
“I am the only person who can say that both of the men running to be prime minister once worked for me. And in that regard, my choice, without hesitation, without equivocation, without a shadow of a doubt, is Pierre Poilievre,” said Harper.
He added that while Liberal Party of Canada Leader Mark Carney claims to have led Canada through the global financial crisis, it was the late Jim Flaherty and the Conservative team who were responsible.
Poilievre called Harper the greatest prime minister of the 21st century, saying he’d been the greatest mentor he could ever ask for.
Country music star Brett Kissell also made a cameo at the rally, giving a short speech and saying that Poilievre is the one who will bring the kids and grandkids a Canadian future worth fighting for.
A World War II veteran who was 19 years old the day he fought on Juno Beach on D-Day was also honoured by Poilievre during the rally.
Poilievre pledged to reshape Canada’s military to be worthy of the man’s sacrifice.
“Our soldiers, sailors, and airmen will be guided by a warrior culture, not a woke culture,” he said.
True North was on the ground at the event and spoke to various attendees.
One attendee, Brenda Belanger, said she was from Ontario and didn’t realize Alberta’s important role with transfer payments for the rest of Canada until she moved to the province.
She said that Alberta’s independence movement had three options: to become the 51st state, have more autonomy as a province like Quebec, or its own country. If Carney wins the federal election, she said she could see over 90 per cent of Albertans supporting a referendum. The other Albertans True North spoke with similarly thought that the independence movement’s support would increase if Carney won.
“We have a choice to make as Canadians, and it’s whether or not we allow the federal government to turn around and flush our country down the toilet or whether we stand up to them,” said Belanger.
Benita Pedersen told True North she believes the momentum behind Alberta’s independence movement will continue even if Poilievre wins the election, as he may not meet all of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s demands she previously made to Carney to “avoid an unprecedented national unity crisis.”
Janice Draper, originally from the remote hamlet of Compeer, AB, now lives in rural Penhold, AB, said that she thought the outpouring of support at the rally came due to the country’s standard of living plummeting in the last decade.
“Everyone wants their lives back, and Pierre is the one that can help make that happen,” said the woman who volunteered at the event.
Travis Olson also spoke to True North, saying that Alberta has been getting shafted by the rest of Canada since the 1970s when Pierre Trudeau introduced the national energy program.
He also commented on Carney recently mocking Smith.
“This has been the Liberal playbook for forever,” said Olson. “Alberta has always been the villain with the federal Liberal party, and now he’s picking on Rob Ford too. I think it’s beneath him.”
Olson said that Carney didn’t replace the Liberal cabinet. He said it’s like moving the deck chairs around on the Titanic.
“You’ve got a different leader, but it’s going to be the same thing. We know they’re just going to take our money and screw us anyway,” said Olson.
During Poilievre’s speech, he emphasized trades in Canada and how he would strengthen the industry. He joked about Harper during his remarks.
“Stephen Harper was in the trades as well. Do you know that he was a cabinetmaker? He had a really good cabinet, way better than the Liberal cabinet. And we’re going to have another great cabinet after the election,” he said.