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Poilievre urges Conservatives to speak for Canadians, put national interest first
Poilievre urged MPs to defend struggling Canadians and said criticizing the government is not disloyal as Conservatives face defections and weak polling.
On Wednesday, Conservative leader Poilievre urged MPs at a Penticton caucus retreat to embrace "Our duty is country before party, now and always." He framed the Opposition's role as fighting for struggling Canadians while warning that criticizing the government does not equate to disloyalty.
This internal push follows months of instability, including the loss of five MPs to the Liberal benches. Strategists have publicly questioned Poilievre's caucus control following defections by MPs Chris d'Entremont and Marilyn Gladu, plus a disappointing third-place byelection result last month.
Poilievre also attacked Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday for "secretly negotiating" Canada's potential EU "associate member" status. He declared, "Conservatives say no EU taxes, no EU laws and no EU open border rules on immigration in Canada."
Dalhousie University professor Lori Turnbull assessed the leadership challenge as severe, stating, "It doesn't matter how disciplined they are, they're not going to beat Carney now." She emphasized Poilievre must rally the party around him.
Poilievre will hold a campaign-style rally this weekend in Brantford, Ont., marking his first return to the rally stage since the April 2025 election. The event signals a strategic pivot toward external mobilization amid ongoing polling challenges.
paNOW | Prince Albert, Saskatchewan | News, Sports, Weather, Obituaries, Classif… broke the news in Prince Albert, Canada14 hours ago on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.