Poilievre holding ‘Canada First’ rally today in Ottawa amid U.S. threats

February 15, 2025 Canuck

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is hosting a “Canada First” rally in Ottawa today as U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats fuel a surge in patriotism and shift the political landscape north of the border.

The event at the Rogers Centre, steps from Parliament Hill, comes on the 60th anniversary of Canada adopting the red-and-white maple leaf flag. The Conservatives are asking attendees to wear red and white clothes.

Trump’s threat of sweeping tariffs and continual talk of annexation have shifted Canadians’ focus in recent weeks, polling shows, with the Conservatives’ long-held double-digit lead narrowing.

Poilievre has more prominently emphasized his “Canada First” messaging. He released a video earlier this week in which he said he’s encouraging everyone, regardless of their political allegiance, to raise Canadian flags this weekend.

And on Thursday, the party touted a new ad featuring Poilievre’s wife Anaida, where the Poilievres raise a Canadian flag together and speak of working to “bring home Canada’s promise.”

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U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered plans to impose sweeping reciprocal tariffs on global trading partners which could include allies like Canada which he again referred to as the ‘51st state,’ while taking another swipe at ‘Governor Trudeau.’

Poilievre’s longtime principal slogan — axing the carbon tax — has featured less prominently, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on his way out and the candidates vying to replace him promising to ditch the consumer carbon price.

Radio-Canada reported earlier this month that the Conservatives were conducting internal surveys to adapt the party’s message with the changing political reality.

CBC’s Poll Tracker shows that although the Liberals are closing the gap, most surveys still suggest the Conservatives would win a majority government if the election were held today.

Poilievre and the Conservative caucus met in Ottawa on Friday. The party sent out voice mails and text messages urging people in the area to attend this afternoon’s rally.

This Sunday, Cross Country Checkup is asking: How has Donald Trump changed the way you feel about Canada, and what it means to be Canadian? Fill out this form and you could appear on the show or have your comment read on air.

Speaking to reporters outside the building where Poilievre’s rally is set to take place, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said on Saturday he swung by to “make sure the flags were the right side up.”

“You can’t say that Canada is broken, and at the same time say that Canada is the best country in the world. The two just don’t go together,” Miller said — a swipe at the Conservative leader’s previous comments that “everything seems to be broken.”

On Saturday morning, the Liberal Party posted a new advertisement comparing statements from Poilievre and statements from Trump. The ad ends by claiming Poilievre is the “wrong choice” at the “wrong time.”

Former PMs call on Canadians to fly flags

Along with threatening a 25 per cent tariff on nearly all Canadian goods, Trump has repeatedly said that Canada should be the 51st state. Earlier this week, a White House official said he didn’t rule out the idea during a meeting with Canadian premiers in D.C.

In the face of threats from the White House, five former prime ministers called on Canadians to fly the flag in a show of national unity today.

Joe Clark, Kim Campbell, Jean Chrétien, Paul Martin and Stephen Harper told Canadians to “show the flag as never before” as the country contends with “threats and insults from Donald Trump.”

“Let’s fly our flag with pride. Let’s show the world that we are proud of our history and proud of our country,” they wrote.

Canadian flagmakers have reported that sales are surging at what is normally a slow time of year.

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