EDITORIAL: Poilievre should step up his game

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There was a clear message in Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet shuffle last week, and it’s this: His government is on the ropes. They’re cratering in the polls and are thrashing around looking for a path to victory.

Their next strategy will be to go negative on Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre. When a government has nothing left to offer by way of policy, a sure strategy is to make personal attacks on their opponents.

This will come as no surprise to Poilievre. All parties do it when the chips are down, so he’ll be prepared.

We urge Poilievre to rise to the occasion and not take the bait. He’s auditioning to be prime minister. In an ever more complicated world, Canadians are looking for better leadership than what we’ve seen in recent years.

We want someone who looks and acts as a statesman. Someone we can have confidence in as our prime minister to represent us on the international stage with gravitas and dignity. We’re tired of those who are more concerned about self-aggrandizing optics or their fancy socks or who alienate our allies by scolding them on domestic policies. We don’t need someone embarrassing this country by tweeting at Taylor Swift because she’s not coming here.

We have far bigger problems to deal with.

On the domestic front, we want sound fiscal policies that will restore the economy and bring back hope to young people that they have a future here. We’re nostalgic for the time when this country was respected around the globe as a voice of common sense.

Sadly, it often seems as if Poilievre and the people around him stoop to levels of silliness that don’t augur well for someone selling himself as a national leader.

His attempts at humour on social media often fall flat, or reveal a pettiness that doesn’t befit a national leader. They may play well with some of his core voters, but there aren’t enough of them to win the next election. He must appeal to a broader swath of small-c conservatives who are looking to him for serious leadership.

It’s time for Poilievre to step up and show he has what it takes to be a great leader – for all of this country.