Pierre Poilievre, The Next Prime Minister of Canada?: The Economy Is About To Collapse!

Welcome back. Quick ask before we dive in: follow the show so our best episodes land right in your feed. Now, I’m looking at the world and losing sleep—alliances fraying, talk of world war three—and you may well be Canada’s next leader, so what on earth is happening?

America striking out alone is a strategic mistake; the postwar order worked because the United States grew with trusted allies, and countries like Canada still multiply that strength.

From Davos to talk of turning Canada into a state, the tone feels hostile; is this about oil and has Trump chosen the right path?

Canada is the reliable energy partner next door, with vast oil and critical minerals that fit U.S. refineries and security needs, and we should leverage that for real free trade instead of getting dragged into tariff fights.

On Iran, with bombings and rising tension, was this the right move and how does it end?

Tehran’s regime killed Canadians on PS752, bankrolls terror, and is enriching for weapons, so strikes that degrade its nuclear program were necessary while we work to prevent it from ever fielding a bomb.

They do not look cowed and there are reports of missiles that could reach Europe; where does that leave us?

Unlike North Korea’s self‑preserving dictatorship, Iran’s theocrats are not reliably deterred, which is why stopping their program early matters and why I want Canada building reserves and exporting energy that reduces reliance on hostile regimes.

If you were in charge in Ottawa and Trump asked for support, what would you do?

I backed the strikes but would not send ground troops, and any further help would depend on the specific request.

Does this become a short, punishing campaign or a long quagmire?

Set a clear aim—no Iranian nukes or delivery systems—and avoid getting stuck; it is ultimately up to Iranians to exploit any regime weakness.

Tradeoffs everywhere, including at the pump; is that weighing on you?

We should be cushioned by our oil, but policy and red tape weakened the sector, so I’d clear hurdles, scrap industrial carbon taxes, and strengthen our dollar to make life more affordable.

You may soon need a productive U.S. relationship; you keep saying unlock—what does that mean, and where do you stand with Trump?

I have not met him and stick to one prime minister at a time; unlocking means removing bureaucratic blockages and heavy taxes so private investment—not subsidies—can get resources, goods, and alliances with partners like the UK, New Zealand, and Australia moving.

You avoided critiquing your own government abroad; that is deliberate?

Yes, during sensitive talks I will not undercut Canada’s position; country first.

Why you over Mark Carney—and how did your upbringing shape that?

My mission is to make Canada the most affordable, freest, and wealthiest nation, and I carry working‑class lessons from being adopted by two teachers, growing up through loss and high interest rates, and believing deeply in the promise that effort should open doors.

You were emotional recalling meeting your biological mother; what stayed with you?

With my adoptive mother’s blessing I met my birth mother and learned real love puts the child first, and my family’s story—my dad later coming out, my mom owning her scars, my wife arriving as a Venezuelan refugee—taught me to be true to yourself and draw strength from adversity.

When did politics click, and what did Adam Smith teach you?

As a teen I found purpose in politics, and Smith showed me free exchange lifts living standards while moral sentiments remind us that self‑interest and empathy can align, which is why I want power dispersed and government focused on what people cannot do alone.

Critics say capitalism failed the working class; housing is scarce, permits crawl, and money printing runs hot—what’s your case?

We have cronyism for the rich—housing choked by fees and slow approvals, so I’d slash red tape, speed permits, and cut taxes to double building with idle trades ready, while ending the money glut that outpaced home supply and crushed wages through the Cantillon effect.

Canada’s happiness fell and food costs surged, deficits balloon, GDP per person has stalled; others like Switzerland and Singapore seem to have cracked it—what’s the lesson and the tradeoff?

Kill needless costs like industrial carbon and packaging rules that raise prices, grow real output faster than cash creation, and copy places that keep government lean and enterprise strong while preserving a basic safety net, because past that point government bloat starts to harm.

Births are down, firms chase cheap labor, and wages lag; if you cap inflows, do businesses bolt, and what about prices if wages rise?

Affordability blocks family formation and big firms gamed temporary programs to undercut locals, so I’d size immigration to housing and services and make employers compete by paying fairly and running leaner, not by importing wage suppression.

AI is already replacing entry roles; agents let one skilled hire do the work of many, and the speed is different—how do you prepare?

Anchor policy in dignity and agency so technology empowers people and lowers costs that actually reach households, rather than inflating away the gains and hollowing out meaning.

Immigration has become a wedge issue; how does Canada’s experience differ from the U.S.?

We long ran a points‑based, high‑integration system, but a recent spike blew past our capacity and mostly enriched landlords and low‑wage employers, so we need lawful, absorbable numbers tied to homes, healthcare, and jobs.

And the skilled newcomers stuck on the sidelines?

Gatekeeping keeps tens of thousands of immigrant doctors and nurses out of their fields, so I’d use merit‑based testing to fast‑track proven talent.

Biggest external threat—China or something else—and are we already in proxy conflict?

China can choose collaboration or confrontation, and while history warns about rising powers, war is not fated, though proxy contests are clearly shaping today’s flashpoints.

Canada has no nukes, is building its military, and bristled at annexation talk and tariffs; then your election tightened as that dominated—how did you handle the aftermath?

We do not need nuclear weapons, but we must defend our vast territory without leaning on the U.S., and while tariffs and theatrics shifted focus late in the race, I owned the result, felt the weight of supporters who need relief, and went straight back to work without excuses.

I don’t blame anyone else for the election result; people voted, and I make peace by focusing on what I can control.

You mentioned Stoicism and Meditations; how has that shaped how you handle tough moments?

Stoicism taught me to expect friction and still choose my response, to be the driver not the passenger, and to own my inner life like the spirit of Invictus.

You wrote at twenty about what you’d do as prime minister; could you reflect on those opening ideas and how you’ve evolved?

I argued freedom is the engine of living standards and government should step aside where it blocks people, so the priority is often what not to do and letting citizens lead their own lives.

After years on the trail, what’s changed in you?

Marriage and fatherhood slowed me down in a good way; I’m more patient, careful, and thoughtful than I was in my early career.

Opponents call you Trump light and point to your criticism of DEI; how do you see that?

I separate myself from that label and reject a worldview that sorts people by group identity; I want a society that treats us as individuals and judges on merit, not categories.

As a Black founder I’ve felt both pride in equal treatment and the reality of systemic gaps; how do we give everyone a fair shot?

By insisting on genuine equality and a colorblind meritocracy where opportunities hinge on what you can do.

People are naturally biased; don’t we need countermeasures to level things?

Institutions should be vigilant about fair, merit-based decisions without breaking society into more factions that harden barriers.

Hiring studies show name bias changes outcomes; what then?

We should clear government-made hurdles—anti-housing rules, licensing that sidelines qualified immigrants, and crime policies that harm families—because free enterprise and free speech open doors for everyone.

Data show Black mortgage applicants are denied far more often with similar profiles; why is that?

I haven’t seen that dataset, but if banks are doing that, they’re making bad judgments and bad business.

Isn’t DEI the corrective for those bad judgments?

DEI’s been around for years, and the persistent gaps suggest it isn’t solving the root problems.

Tell me about Valentina.

She’s seven, autistic, and nonverbal; she’s fearless, affectionate, totally authentic, and her little brother Cruz absolutely adores her.

How do you think about her future when you won’t always be there?

We’re building a nest egg and a lifelong bond with Cruz, who already sees protecting his sister as his job.

Has this changed your politics?

It deepened my compassion and my push for policies that help people with disabilities contribute without losing supports when they work, because every person has inherent worth.

What would you say to parents on that emotional road?

Accept the diagnosis early, act on what you can—therapy, play, joy—and meet your child in their world, respecting sensory needs and embracing the extra work.

From the photos she makes people smile.

She lights up rooms, classmates are kind, and her affection wins people over fast.

What’s your closing message to listeners around the world?

I’m optimistic that Canada can lead the world if we make the right choices—though I’ll admit with a smile that me as prime minister would help.

I love Canada and plan to visit with the show soon.

You’ll be warmly welcomed.

Our closing tradition: what are you most afraid of, and how do you deal with it?

Personally, it’s harm to my kids; for Canada, it’s a quiet slide where potential gets blocked and promise fades; for the West, it’s losing our core liberties and accountable government, which we must defend together.

Thank you for answering directly; many politicians dodge, but you were open, nothing was off-limits, and I appreciate it.