Canada Polls: Who Is Pierre Poilievre? Conservative Leader Who Slammed Donald Trump's 'Unacceptable' Annexation Threats

(MENAFN- Live Mint) New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carne and his Conservative rival both stated that US President Donald Trump must respect Canada's sovereignty as they launched their election campaigns on Sunday.

Their campaigns come amid rising tensions from a trade war and Trump's threats of annexation. Carney revealed that the election campaign would last five weeks, with the vote scheduled for April 28.

Who is Pierre Poilievre?

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who has long been positioning himself as a prime ministerial candidate, faces a tough challenge in the upcoming federal election as he works to maintain his lead over former Premier Justin Trudeau.

Poilievre, fluent in French and an experienced politician, has contested seven elections throughout his career. At a press conference on Sunday launching his campaign, Poilievre emphasised his vision for Canada, stating,“What we need to do is put Canada first for a change.”

Also Read: Canada Polls: Can Mark Carney stand up to Trump? Will Conservatives continue to favour US President? 4 things to know

He outlined his policies, including tax cuts and boosting resource production, aiming to attract investment and make Canada more self-sufficient, positioning it to be a better stand-up against Trump.

According to a report by CTV News, Poilievre studied international relations at the University of Calgary and served as president of the university's Young Conservative club. Poilievre then worked as a staffer for Canadian Alliance leader Stockwell Day before the merger of the Canadian Alliance with the Progressive Conservative Party in 2003 to form the Conservative Party of Canada.

In early 2022, when the "Freedom Convoy" of truckers and anti-vaccine mandate protesters brought Ottawa to a standstill for three weeks, Poilievre became a key figure of support, according to the report.

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