The Sea to Sky Corridor is part of the Left Coast; there’s no denying that.
Having elected the first Green Party MLA on the mainland and having a—some would argue extreme—environmental-leaning council that fought Woodfibre LNG tooth and nail, it is clear that we tend to lean left politically.
But outside of our bubble, will be the next prime minister. It would behoove us to ask why.
They cherry-pick oddball things to make out like he, his party and his supporters are nuts.
This was especially clear after
On X, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh.
He said no such thing. Another X poster said Pollievre’s supporters were either rich or “people with low intelligence.”
Others ranted about a commercial during the Petersen interview being for a pro-life organization.
Abortion wasn’t mentioned once in the lengthy interview. And Poilievre has said he would not touch abortion rights.
This does nothing to further the left’s perspective.
Those who watched the whole Poilievre interview have to acknowledge that he’s smart, self-aware and in tune with what many are concerned about.
They want a house and groceries they can afford, safe streets, and hope for the same for their kids.
This is not to say they are also not concerned about other things, like the environment.
As an analogy, though, if you are lost in the backcountry, out of water, and you come across a discarded water bottle, you drink from it, grateful.
The other parties are symbolically yelling about it being a single-use plastic bottle.
Meanwhile, Poilievre is offering what people need to feel secure enough to worry about other, less immediate things.
Poilievre said a reason the Conservatives are is that they have “a clearer mission statement, and people know exactly why we are in this.”
He’s right. As much as his oft-repeated “Axe the Tax,” “Build the Homes,” “Fix the Budget,” and “Stop the Crime” are annoying AF, voters know what he and the party stand for.
Were there some problems with some of the things that he said in the interview? Yes, for sure.
But any politician who isn’t addressing people’s core needs and concerns is missing the point. And so are their supporters.
This doesn’t mean more left-leaning values of social and environmental justice aren’t important. They are.
But residents, politicians and local leaders need to drop the vitriol and try to understand what Pollievre and his party are offering that his supporters are buying.
Otherwise, it will be really hard to find common ground when our green snow globe gets shaken up.
