A Canadian politician has been the topic of discussion on social media this week. No, it’s not the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and his “spoke about India and the importance of upholding – and respecting – the rule of law” comment. It is the Canadian leader of the opposition Pierre Poilievre and his interview with a leftist journalist while munching an apple.
A video of Pierre Poilievre, the leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, from his interview with Times Chronicle editor Don Urquhart has gone viral. The interview was taken when the politician was in Osoyoos town in British Columbia to meet fruit growers there. The journalist said that there is a general impression that Poilievre is a “populist” who plays with people’s emotions in what he found was similar to former US President Donald Trump.
As seen in the video, Pierre Poilievre was seen eating the apple and calmly dismissing the liberal journalist’s assertions as well as asking Urquhart who he was quoting in the video. Prior to moving on to other questions, Urquhart continued his failed endeavours to label the Conservative leader a “populist”.
The entire conversation goes like this:
Journalist Don Urquhart: “In terms of your sort of strategy currently, you’re obviously taking the populist pathway…”
Poilievre: “What does that mean?”
Urquhart: “Mean well…appealing appealing to people’s more emotional levels, I would guess, um.”
Poilievre: “What do you mean by that? Give me an example.”
Urquhart: “Certainly you tape very strong ideological language quite frequently…”
Poilievre: “Like what?”
Urquhart: “Left wing you know this and that right wing you know what I mean..”
Poilievre: “I never really talk about left or right way…I don’t believe in that..”
A visibly nervous Times Chronicle editor decided to mention Donald Trump again insinuating that Poilievre is trying to imitate Trump and his strategies, however, the journalist passed it off as “many people say”. To this Poilievre inquires “which people” say that, amusingly, Urquhart failed to tell which people exactly say that “Poilievre is simply taking a page out of Donald Trump’s book”.
Not losing his calm for even a second, Pierre Poilievre asked the journalist that since he was the one who asked the question “he must know somebody” who said that. The journalist obviously could not name anyone since he was apparently passing off his personal opinion as “a great many Canadians say.”
Moments later, Urquhart brought up the Donald Trump book and the ‘page’ again while “Why would Canadians trust Poilievre their votes given the ideological inclination in terms of taking the page of Donald Trump’s book.”
Poilievre interrupted the journalist to inquire about the ‘page’ he repeatedly mentions.
“What are you talking about? What page? What page? Can you give me the page? Give me the page. You keep saying that,” the Conservative leader asked.
The journalist accused Poilievre of making “quite a play” regarding his rhetoric on Trudeau and the Canadian left wing.
“In terms of turning things dramatically in terms of Trudeau and the left wing and all of this you make, you know it’s quite a play that you make on it..,” the journalist said.
After Pierre Poilievre told him he could not comprehend the question, the journalist instantly moved on to another.
The Conservative leader who is emerging as a popular leader ahead of the elections in Canada next year ended the interview by urging Canadians to vote for him on “common sense” grounds. He bemoaned Trudeau for purportedly producing the “worst inflation in four decades” by printing money eight times faster than the economy.
Pierre Poilievre’s “apple munching interview” reminds Indian netizens of BJP leader Narottam Mishra’s no-nonsense interview with Barkha Dutt while having a meal
The Canadian Conservative Party leader’s taking down of a leftist journalist made many Indian netizens recall the Mojo Story interview by Barkha Dutt wherein Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra while having his food gave fierce and unpologetic responses to Dutt’s questions intended to make the minister give some placating remarks or express guilt over the bulldozing of illegal properties of the rioters involved in anti-Hindu violence in Khargone during Ram Navami last year.
An X user wrote, “Pierre Poilievre’s acting is good. He is copying the style of Narottam Mishra, the world’s popular Indian Sigma celebrity.”
Pierre Poilievre's acting is good. He is copying the style of Narottam Mishra, the world's popular Indian Sigma celebrity.pic.twitter.com/jIYPKNH3gn
— ⚛️ Economist Dr. Abhishek Rai (@Abhishek_Rai012) October 17, 2023
Another one posted, “Reminded me of Mishra and Dutt conversation.”
Reminded me of Mishra and Dutt conversation pic.twitter.com/vYucb6mMDp
— Shubhendu Saha (@singhasya) October 18, 2023
One “Captain Short” wrote, “Reminds moment of #drnarottammisra giving it back to chomo story having his meal.”
Reminds moment of #drnarottammisra giving it back to chomo story having his meal
— Captain Short (@CaptainnShort) October 17, 2023
Another X user wrote, “Like @drnarottammisra has done with Bharka. That conversation also mind-blowing.”
Like @drnarottammisra has done with Bharka. That conversation also mind-blowing.
— Firangi Thakur (@FirangiThakur) October 17, 2023
During the interview last year, Dutt who is notorious for garnering sympathy for terrorists like Burhan Wani by calling him a poor school headmaster’s son, had asked Minister Mishra to explain why the houses of the rioters were bulldozed, allegedly without any legal formalities. She questioned if the state would declare the accused guilty and take such actions in the future. Dr Mishra bluntly told her that it was a tit-for-tat. “These are anti-social elements. They make the lives of others miserable. They burnt down the houses and injured several people who were now admitted to the hospital. An SP was shot by them and a PI was severely injured. You tell me what should be done with people like these.”
Dutt’s attempts to guilt trip Minister Mishra for bulldozing the properties of the rioters fell flat as the BJP leader while enjoying his meal made it clear that the houses of the stone-pelters would be reduced to rubble. Dr Mishra further asserted that if riots happen in the future, his statement will remain the same. When asked if he regrets using Bulldozer, he said he was satisfied with the action. The details of the full interview can be read here.
