Former Reform Party leader Preston Manning says Canada’s media and political class have failed to grasp the global rise of populism, and that only a “fresh new administration” under Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre can move the country forward after what he calls “nine years of Liberal misrule.”
When True North asked him about his views on Poilievre’s leadership Manning said, “I believe the country should unite behind a fresh new administration… and that Pierre is the one to lead that administration.”
He continued: “I have observed his capacity for growth from a political inquirer to an activist, from an activist to an elected official and to Leader of the Official Opposition. I therefore think of him capable of making one more transition to being an effective Prime Minister if only the electors will give him the chance.”
Manning spoke recently on a CTV interview, warning that if Canada’s federal institutions fail to respect regional differences, the push for Western separation will gain traction, referring to a potential re-election of the Liberal government for a fourth term this election.
In a written response to True North, Manning said Canadian elites continue to analyze politics through the outdated left-right-centre lens instead of understanding the present-day contest as one between “democratic populism versus aristocratic elitism.”
“The evidence of this is the fact that they still insist in discussing politics in terms of the old left-right-centre framework… Further evidence exists in the fact that most of the establishment think the only way to combat Trump’s tariffs is through counter-tariffs when the more effective way… is to get to him through his own followers,” Manning wrote.
In a January 2024 op-ed titled The Framework Has Changed, Manning argued that the traditional axis of Canadian political analysis no longer reflects the real dynamics shaping voter behaviour.
He calls on voters to view politics through a more accurate frame that of elitists versus populists and said Poilievre is increasingly aligned with the democratic majority.
“Old-school politicians and commentators may continue to view the Canadian political scene through left-centre-right lenses,” Manning wrote, “but should Canadian voters come to see the next federal election for what it really is – a contest between aristocratic elitism and democratic populism – the outcome is most likely to be a rejection of the Liberals and the NDP.”
Manning added that former prime minister Justin Trudeau and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh both “reek of aristocratic elitism,” while Poilievre’s Western Canadian roots and working-class background align him more closely with ordinary Canadians.
In another recent piece of writing, Manning argued that Canada’s response to protectionist U.S. policy under President Donald Trump — including counter-tariffs and reciprocal tourist restrictions — fails to leverage populist pressure effectively. He said Canadians should work with U.S. voters and businesses hurt by trade restrictions to apply bottom-up pressure on the Trump administration.
“Tariffs, counter-tariffs… will invariably increase the living costs of Americans as well as Canadians,” Manning wrote, adding that American voters in states like Florida and Arizona will suffer if Canadian tourism declines.
Manning said the better approach is to target Trump through his supporters, not through elite diplomatic channels. “If this bottom-up protest of vote-wielding citizens… is loud and vigorous enough, the President may be induced to change his mind.”