As Pierre Poilievre presents himself as both a prime minister in waiting and a champion of “the working-class people,” he’s headlined roughly 50 fundraisers at private venues since becoming Conservative leader in 2022 — some of them in Canada’s wealthiest neighbourhoods and most exclusive clubs.
A CBC News analysis of fundraising reports the Conservatives submitted to Elections Canada show these fundraisers have attracted dozens of registered federal lobbyists who paid up to $1,725 each to attend events featuring Poilievre.
Business executives — including a billionaire oil tycoon, an airline executive and a vice president at AtkinsRéalis, formerly known as SNC-Lavalin — are on the lists of attendees.
These fundraisers are legal and have a long history in Canadian politics. In a statement issued to CBC News, a Conservative Party spokesperson said Poilievre makes himself available at events across the country and there’s no need to attend a fundraiser to get access to him.
It’s definitely in his interest to try and portray lobbyists as useless. If/when this becomes a big story for him, he can pivot and say they’re not doing their company any good anyway, so it shouldn’t matter.
In December, Poilievre expressed disdain for Bay Street executives, saying he “almost never” speaks to crowds in downtown Toronto or “anywhere close to Bay Street.”
Fundraising records show Poilievre has headlined three fundraisers for the Conservative Party on Bay Street and at least four others in downtown Toronto since 2023.
Lol, anyone who thinks Pierre is a “for the people” man is more gullible than those who thought Trudeau was.
Edit: as the article mentions, Liberals made it mandatory to post who’s attending these events ahead of time (when >200$/person). CPC fought against it on the grounds of, (an actual quote from the debate minutes)
My question for the minister is this: why legalize something that is ethically unacceptable?
Downtown Toronto’s been red/orange for most if not all of my life… So no surprise he wouldn’t spend any time there. People with a functioning common sense would heckle him and show what a power hungry idiot he is.
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It’s definitely in his interest to try and portray lobbyists as useless. If/when this becomes a big story for him, he can pivot and say they’re not doing their company any good anyway, so it shouldn’t matter.
Lol, anyone who thinks Pierre is a “for the people” man is more gullible than those who thought Trudeau was.
Edit: as the article mentions, Liberals made it mandatory to post who’s attending these events ahead of time (when >200$/person). CPC fought against it on the grounds of, (an actual quote from the debate minutes)
And Pierre voted against the bill.
Downtown Toronto’s been red/orange for most if not all of my life… So no surprise he wouldn’t spend any time there. People with a functioning common sense would heckle him and show what a power hungry idiot he is.