Raj: What Poilievre can learn from the Liberals…

Althia Raj: Ironically, it used to be Conservatives who were the party most closely associated with freedom — freedom of thought, of speech. But Poilievre’s leadership tenure has been marked by control. Trusted MPs get to speak. Those who Poilievre can’t control — for example, Calgary MP Michelle Rempel or Bowmanville–Oshawa North MP Jamil Jivani (U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance’s college buddy) — are left alone. The others are kept in line through different measures: allocation of speaking slots in Parliament, removal from committees. It’s contributed to a very effective message control, but also more intense partisanship, and a decline of democracy, as MPs must toe the party line rather than reflect and serve their constituents…