Poilievre is right when he speaks about Liberal attempts to cause division among Canadians

“He divides to distract using race, religion, region and sexuality. He thinks that if you are afraid of your neighbour, you will forget you can’t afford groceries.” – Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre about Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

I read a recent transcript from the National Post of a speech given by Poilievre, where he stated that quote.

Now, I don’t agree with everything Poilievre says or does, but he hit the nail on the head here.

It wasn’t the first time I read or heard him say it, but it always stuck out to me because those looking at our mainstream left-leaning media and the leftist political parties can’t help but see this as truth.

Whether it’s pitting people against each other based on ethnic or racial lines, promoting a divide between religious sects and atheists, or happily calling anyone who disagrees with their policies all manner of nasty names including racists and homophobes or transphobes . . . The left wing parties in Canada (just like the Democrats in the U.S.) love to label people based on physical appearance, etnicity, sexual orientation or religion.

It’s quite disturbing that we as Canadians have let them separate us into mini-tribes for so long.

And though it started before the COVID pandemic, it has really ramped up since early 2020. So much so that families were broken up, friendships dissolved, businesses shut, and worse – we’ll save the impact on suicide rates, cancer and other treatments, and children’s mental health for a future piece.

I personally know people who were shunned by family for not getting a vaccine – it was heartbreaking to hear about – and who were labelled as a “fringe minority” and “racists” and all manner of other names by the Prime Minister and his cronies.

Now we’re dealing with a lack of affordable housing (or housing at all), inflation causing more food bank customers than ever, an economy in tremendous flux, families piling on debt just to be able to manage day-to-day expenses, and a housing bubble that could very well burst.

I’ve never been a fan of the Liberal Party or the NDP because they are so often quick to place labels on anyone and everyone they can – even their own supporters – as they attempt to draw lines in the sand and cause division among good, hardworking people.

You see, they would rather have us all fight and be distrusting of one another than listen to each other, engage in healthy and respectful debates, and learn to have love in our hearts for other people even when we disagree.

They would also rather us fighting over inconsequential things like rainbow flags, vaccines, skin colour, ethnicity, and more, rather than pay attention to what they’re doing and hold them accountable for a failing economy, housing crises and wasting billions of our hard earned tax payer dollars.

Over the years I have been accused of being a Conservative lackey amongst other things, but the truth is I’m an old-fashioned progressive who believes in judging people on their work ethic and character, helping others in need, freedom of speech and expression, free education, social services paid for by our tax dollars, etc.

But, I’m also a common sense person who knows the most minimum wage hike has been horrendous for the economy and small business owners, the size of our respective governments and snail-like bureaucracy is blatantly wasteful, and that even the people we disagree with the most can have good ideas.

Even though I have voted Conservative federally and Green provincially in Parry Sound-Muskoka, every time I do a political personality test (and answer honestly) it shows me as a very liberal person (notice the lower case “L”).

But, thanks to the modern Liberal and NDP Parties, having common sense and asking real questions about government decision now label you as a right-wing Conservative.

Really, the majority of people I speak with on a regular basis are centrists: either former progressive conservatives or liberals who are tired of extremism and politicians caring more about keeping their seat and towing the party line than they are about making our nation better.

With that in mind, it’s time for us to stop letting divisive words and actions by any politician in any party have a negative impact on our lives. The only way to move forward is with love, understanding, respect and togetherness.

We know it’s possible because many of us live like that on a daily basis … it’s well past time to see our Prime Minister and other political leaders doing the same.