Pierre Poilievre
Encyclopedia
Pierre Poilievre, MP (born June 3, 1979 in Calgary
, Alberta
) is a politician
in Ontario
, Canada
. He is currently a member of the Canadian House of Commons
representing the suburban Ottawa riding of Nepean-Carleton. First elected in 2004, Poilievre was re-elected in 2006 and 2008. Poilievre received the second highest vote total of any candidate in the 2008 election. Poilievre is a member of the Conservative Party
and serves as Parliamentary Secretary
to the Prime Minister.
Before entering politics, Poilievre was a co-owner and operator of 3D Contact Inc., a polling and consulting firm, the other founder being Calgary MLA Jonathan Denis
. He has also worked for Magna International
, focussing on communications, and has done public relations work in Toronto
. Prior to his election, Poilievre did policy work for Canadian Alliance
MPs Stockwell Day
and Jason Kenney
, and worked as a full-time assistant to Day.
In 1999, writing as Pierre Marcel Poilievre, he contributed an essay, "Building Canada Through Freedom" to the book @Stake—"As Prime Minister, I Would...", a collection of essays from Magna International
's "As Prime Minister" awards program. He did not win the competition. At the time, he was editorially described as being in the second year of a Commerce program at the University of Calgary. His self-description was as "a political junkie with a passion for public debating and a special interest in international relations".
cabinet minister David Pratt by almost 4000 votes, or about 5.5% of the total. The Liberals were reduced to a minority government
in the election.
Poilievre was voted the hardest-working constituency MP in the 2005 Hill Times Annual Political Survey. He was voted the hardest-working MP in the 2006 Hill Times Annual Political Survey. In 2008, a survey of political staffers by the Hill Times awarded Poilievre top spot as the biggest gossip on the Hill and he tied for first as the biggest self-promoter.
On January 23, 2006, Poilievre was re-elected with 55% of the vote, beating Liberal challenger Michael Gaffney by over 19,000 votes. The Conservatives
formed a minority government
at the national level.
On February 7, 2006, Poilievre was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Hon. John Baird, the President of the Treasury Board.
Following the 2008 election Poilievre was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.
In June 2010, at the age of 31 and after six years service as an MP, Poilievre has become eligible to receive his MP's pension upon reaching retirement age of 55.
through the Canadian House of Commons
. The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act was enacted to provide a process for public sector employees when disclosing abuses and wrongdoings within the federal government and protection of these employees from reprisals. The Federal Accountability Act received Royal Assent on December 12, 2006.
. The sports tax credit became a central plank in the Conservative Party's 2006 election platform. The tax credit came into effect January 1, 2007. The tax credit allows parents to claim $500 per year for dependent children under the age of 16. Disabled children are eligible for the tax credit until the age of 18. Poilievre cites inspiration for the idea from a farming family from Osgoode, Ontario.
Construction began on July 27, 2010. The event was locally publicised, with politicians of all levels and parties involved attending the ground breaking...
. Poilievre stated his belief that Canadians must address anti-Semitism on college and university campuses.
Poilievre was sent by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to Geneva, Switzerland
in April 2009 to attend the Conference Against Racism, Discrimination, and Persecution. This conference was held at the same time as the Durban Review Conference, which had been criticized by the Prime Minister as full of "anti-Semitic rhetoric". During the same trip, Poilievre traveled to Poland to participate in the International March of the Living Mission, a tour of Nazi concentration camps to commemorate the memory of the victims of the Holocaust
.
In February 2007, Poilievre came under attack from Liberal MPs for asserting that there were members the Liberal caucus who wanted to legalize Hezbollah.
In June 2008, in a radio interview, Poilievre suggested that native people need to learn the value of hard work more than they need financial compensation. Poilievre went on to question the merits of funding within the INAC framework and the value for money received by Canadians. The comments were made the same day that Aboriginals were invited into the House of Commons so that Prime Minister Stephen Harper
could make a public apology on behalf of the Canadian government for the abuse that Aboriginal children endured in once-mandatory residential schools. Poilievre's comments were objected to by both Conservative and Liberal MPs, with the latter calling for his resignation. The day after his appearance on the radio program, Poilievre apologized for his statement in the House of Commons.
In May 2009 Poilievre was accused of having insensitively used the term "tar baby" in the House of Commons in reference to a policy of carbon taxation from which Poilievre suggested that Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff
would try to distance himself. Poilievre repeated the term in a prepared reply to a question from a member of his own party on taxation. A number of Opposition MPs demanded Poilievre make amends for the use of the term. Media coverage of the dispute noted that Poilievre was "the latest in a long line of politicians to take flak for uttering the words.” Poilieve argued that the term was commonly used for "issues that stick to one." Over the previous years, the term itself had been used by a number of prominent Canadian public figures to indicate a sticky situation.
In October 2010, Poilievre was involved in a security breach at a checkpoint on Parliament Hill, where all vehicles and passengers must be inspected prior to entry (even vehicles belonging to elected officials). Poilievre allegedly got impatient waiting at the checkpoint and pressed a button to open the security gate and drove through without being identified or having his vehicle inspected, resulting in a verbal argument with RCMP officers. He apologized later that day for the incident.
During the 2011 federal election campaign, the "Campaign to Reject Pierre Poilievre" was formed. A complaint was filed with Elections Canada over the Campaign's website, "Insults for You", which mocked Poilievre's official website though the complaint was unsuccessful. Around the same time, Mr. Poilievre's office also tried to have the activities of a group of Nortel pensioners known as the Silver Fox Alliance halted by the City of Ottawa but the complaint was again rejected by Elections Canada.
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
) is a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He is currently a member of the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
representing the suburban Ottawa riding of Nepean-Carleton. First elected in 2004, Poilievre was re-elected in 2006 and 2008. Poilievre received the second highest vote total of any candidate in the 2008 election. Poilievre is a member of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
and serves as Parliamentary Secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Prime Minister.
Background
Poilievre studied international relations at the University of Calgary, following a period of study in commerce at the same institution.Before entering politics, Poilievre was a co-owner and operator of 3D Contact Inc., a polling and consulting firm, the other founder being Calgary MLA Jonathan Denis
Jonathan Denis
Jonathan Denis, QC is a Canadian politician and currently Minister of Solicitor General and Minister of Public Security for the province of Alberta. He represents the constituency of Calgary-Egmont as a Progressive Conservative in the Legislative Assembly of Alberta...
. He has also worked for Magna International
Magna International
Magna International Inc. , is an automotive supplier headquartered in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's largest automobile parts manufacturer, and one of the country's largest companies. It owns the Magna Steyr automobile production company of Austria....
, focussing on communications, and has done public relations work in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Prior to his election, Poilievre did policy work for Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
MPs Stockwell Day
Stockwell Day
Stockwell Burt Day, Jr., PC, MP is a former Canadian politician, and a member of the Conservative Party of Canada. He is a former cabinet minister in Alberta, and a former leader of the Canadian Alliance. Day was MP for the riding of Okanagan—Coquihalla in British Columbia and the president of...
and Jason Kenney
Jason Kenney
Jason T. Kenney, PC, MP is Canada's current Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. He has represented the riding of Calgary Southeast in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997....
, and worked as a full-time assistant to Day.
In 1999, writing as Pierre Marcel Poilievre, he contributed an essay, "Building Canada Through Freedom" to the book @Stake—"As Prime Minister, I Would...", a collection of essays from Magna International
Magna International
Magna International Inc. , is an automotive supplier headquartered in Aurora, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's largest automobile parts manufacturer, and one of the country's largest companies. It owns the Magna Steyr automobile production company of Austria....
's "As Prime Minister" awards program. He did not win the competition. At the time, he was editorially described as being in the second year of a Commerce program at the University of Calgary. His self-description was as "a political junkie with a passion for public debating and a special interest in international relations".
Political career
Poilievre won the Conservative Nepean—Carleton nomination in March 2004, at the age of 24, after provincial MPP John Baird turned down suggestions that he should seek the federal nomination in the riding that he then represented in the provincial legislature. In a closely watched race, Poilievre defeated LiberalLiberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...
cabinet minister David Pratt by almost 4000 votes, or about 5.5% of the total. The Liberals were reduced to a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
in the election.
Poilievre was voted the hardest-working constituency MP in the 2005 Hill Times Annual Political Survey. He was voted the hardest-working MP in the 2006 Hill Times Annual Political Survey. In 2008, a survey of political staffers by the Hill Times awarded Poilievre top spot as the biggest gossip on the Hill and he tied for first as the biggest self-promoter.
On January 23, 2006, Poilievre was re-elected with 55% of the vote, beating Liberal challenger Michael Gaffney by over 19,000 votes. The Conservatives
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
formed a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
at the national level.
On February 7, 2006, Poilievre was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Hon. John Baird, the President of the Treasury Board.
Following the 2008 election Poilievre was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister.
In June 2010, at the age of 31 and after six years service as an MP, Poilievre has become eligible to receive his MP's pension upon reaching retirement age of 55.
Federal Accountability Act
As Parliamentary Secretary to Treasury Board, Polievre redrafted Canada’s whistleblower protection laws. and worked with Minister John Baird to pass the Federal Accountability ActFederal Accountability Act
The Federal Accountability Act is a statute introduced as Bill C-2 in the first session of the 39th Canadian Parliament on April 11, 2006, by the President of the Treasury Board, John Baird...
through the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
. The Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act was enacted to provide a process for public sector employees when disclosing abuses and wrongdoings within the federal government and protection of these employees from reprisals. The Federal Accountability Act received Royal Assent on December 12, 2006.
Children's Fitness Tax Credit
Poilievre was first to propose a sports tax credit to then Opposition-leader Stephen HarperStephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
. The sports tax credit became a central plank in the Conservative Party's 2006 election platform. The tax credit came into effect January 1, 2007. The tax credit allows parents to claim $500 per year for dependent children under the age of 16. Disabled children are eligible for the tax credit until the age of 18. Poilievre cites inspiration for the idea from a farming family from Osgoode, Ontario.
Queensway Carleton Hospital
In the summer of 2006, Poilievre and Minister John Baird helped secure a $1 per year rent for the Queensway Carleton Hospital from the National Capital Commission. Before the brokered agreement, the QCH was paying the NCC $23,000 per year in rent. The lease of the hospital was to expire in 2013, and the rent was set to increase substantially.Strandherd-Armstrong Bridge
Poilievre has actively advocated for the construction of the Strandherd-Armstrong bridge which is planned to span the Rideau river. The eight-lane bridge will link Riverside South with Barrhaven Poilievre secured one-third of the project's funding and acquired the neighbouring airport land needed to complete the Limebank Road expansion, tapping into funds already committed by former MP David Pratt for transportation projects in this riding.Construction began on July 27, 2010. The event was locally publicised, with politicians of all levels and parties involved attending the ground breaking...
Charitable work
As a member of Parliament, Poilievre has been known for his involvement with a variety of charities. For his 30th birthday, Poilievre co-hosted an event with Ottawa Police Chief Vern White to help raise funds for Harvest House Ministries and Project S.T.E.P. Both charities do work within the greater Ottawa community to treat substance abuse and prevent addiction. Poilievre has also secured $1 million in funding for the city of Ottawa's drug treatment initiative. In 2005, Poilievre helped raise $40,000 to help rebuild the Manotick legion after it was destroyed by fire in June of that year.Fight against anti-Semitism
On February 13, 2009, Poilievre stood in the House of Commons to make a statement concerning incidents of alleged anti-Semitism at York UniversityYork University
York University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
. Poilievre stated his belief that Canadians must address anti-Semitism on college and university campuses.
"Mr. Speaker, our Conservative government condemns the latest anti-Semitic outburst at York University. This week, chants of 'Zionism is racism' were heard, and one person was called a 'dirty Jew'.
Sadly, incidents like these have become far too prevalent on college and university campuses across Canada. I am reminded of the violent left-wing mob that shouted anti-Semitic curses at a former Israeli prime minister and prevented him from speaking at Concordia University in 2002.
I fear there is a rise among the extreme left of a new anti-Semitism. We see it in the instances that I mentioned. It lies below the surface of the public discourse waiting, waiting for us to let our guard down, waiting for the outrage to subside, waiting for the right time to flourish. We must confront it, fight it, and defeat it."
Poilievre was sent by Prime Minister Stephen Harper to Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
in April 2009 to attend the Conference Against Racism, Discrimination, and Persecution. This conference was held at the same time as the Durban Review Conference, which had been criticized by the Prime Minister as full of "anti-Semitic rhetoric". During the same trip, Poilievre traveled to Poland to participate in the International March of the Living Mission, a tour of Nazi concentration camps to commemorate the memory of the victims of the Holocaust
The Holocaust
The Holocaust , also known as the Shoah , was the genocide of approximately six million European Jews and millions of others during World War II, a programme of systematic state-sponsored murder by Nazi...
.
Controversy
In June 2006, Poilievre was caught using foul language directed at colleagues in a committee meeting (muttering "fuck, you guys" under his breath), making unparliamentary "up yours" arm gestures in the Commons during a parliamentary session, and was accused of mocking the Speaker of the House of Commons. Poilievre later apologized for making gestures within the Commons;. During the same month, Poilievre's behaviour within the Legislative Committee on Bill C-2 was sharply criticized by opposition members as "insulting" following exchanges between himself and a witness giving testimony—a point of concern that was recognized and cautioned by the Committee chair.In February 2007, Poilievre came under attack from Liberal MPs for asserting that there were members the Liberal caucus who wanted to legalize Hezbollah.
In June 2008, in a radio interview, Poilievre suggested that native people need to learn the value of hard work more than they need financial compensation. Poilievre went on to question the merits of funding within the INAC framework and the value for money received by Canadians. The comments were made the same day that Aboriginals were invited into the House of Commons so that Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
could make a public apology on behalf of the Canadian government for the abuse that Aboriginal children endured in once-mandatory residential schools. Poilievre's comments were objected to by both Conservative and Liberal MPs, with the latter calling for his resignation. The day after his appearance on the radio program, Poilievre apologized for his statement in the House of Commons.
In May 2009 Poilievre was accused of having insensitively used the term "tar baby" in the House of Commons in reference to a policy of carbon taxation from which Poilievre suggested that Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff
Michael Ignatieff
Michael Grant Ignatieff is a Canadian author, academic and former politician. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and Leader of the Official Opposition from 2008 until 2011...
would try to distance himself. Poilievre repeated the term in a prepared reply to a question from a member of his own party on taxation. A number of Opposition MPs demanded Poilievre make amends for the use of the term. Media coverage of the dispute noted that Poilievre was "the latest in a long line of politicians to take flak for uttering the words.” Poilieve argued that the term was commonly used for "issues that stick to one." Over the previous years, the term itself had been used by a number of prominent Canadian public figures to indicate a sticky situation.
In October 2010, Poilievre was involved in a security breach at a checkpoint on Parliament Hill, where all vehicles and passengers must be inspected prior to entry (even vehicles belonging to elected officials). Poilievre allegedly got impatient waiting at the checkpoint and pressed a button to open the security gate and drove through without being identified or having his vehicle inspected, resulting in a verbal argument with RCMP officers. He apologized later that day for the incident.
During the 2011 federal election campaign, the "Campaign to Reject Pierre Poilievre" was formed. A complaint was filed with Elections Canada over the Campaign's website, "Insults for You", which mocked Poilievre's official website though the complaint was unsuccessful. Around the same time, Mr. Poilievre's office also tried to have the activities of a group of Nortel pensioners known as the Silver Fox Alliance halted by the City of Ottawa but the complaint was again rejected by Elections Canada.