Unity in the country and unity in the Conservative Party work in the leader’s favour. His edges are softening and, if he can keep that up, it could help reshape his image. But ‘hissy fit’ claims launched by his own members won’t help
By Sheila Copps
First published in The Hill Times on February 23, 2026.
OTTAWA—The Tumbler Ridge tragedy in British Columbia did what no political manoeuvre could. It united the country and the parties.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre shared a podium. Even Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet made a special effort to speak English to reach those touched by the tragic school shootings that were too close to the memory of the femicides at École Polytechnique.
Death knows no language. It knows no politics.
So, every leader parked their partisan trappings and opted to work together to try and heal the country.
With the self-inflicted death of the shooter, we will probably never really understand the reason behind this horrendous attack on innocent students.
No reason can explain the decision of a child to kill their parent and a sibling. But the further attack on others who apparently had no connection to the shooter is simply impossible to comprehend.
All party leaders rose to the occasion. Conservative Leader Poilievre parked his usual blame-laced crime vitriol, and replaced it with a sensitive observation that mirrored what every parent in Tumbler Ridge and across the country is feeling.
He spoke about love and concern for his own children, and the parental responsibility to protect.
The prime minister also spoke gently and thoughtfully, reinforcing the impression that, in a moment of national tragedy, he was the person best placed to guide us all through it.
Tears flowed freely in the House of Commons. They were real tears, not simply a reflection of a moment of drama.
The same unity was evident when the leaders of all political parties attended a commemoration in Tumbler Ridge.
It was a reflection of what politics could be if parties worked together on big issues.
The same unity was felt during the pandemic when the prime minister and premiers parked their differences and managed to work together to save Canadian lives, no matter what their political stripe.
Some have attacked the unified approach to masking, vaccines, and distancing. But to put it in perspective, Canada saved 40 per cent more lives on a per capita basis than the United States.
The U.S. had no mask mandate and most Republicans were vigorously opposed to any limitations on personal freedom that could save lives, including vaccines and distancing.
Americans lost 1.23 million people to COVID-19. In Canada, 60,871 people perished from the same virus.
Canada also has had a unified position in relation to the U.S.’s tariff attack and the renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico trade agreement.
That unity was spoiled last week when Conservative MP Jamil Jivani went on a right-ring American media outlet to accuse Canada of suffering an “anti-American hissy fit.” Jivani told Breitbart News that “we are shooting ourselves in the foot” with our negative reaction to the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Poilievre stepped in quickly to say that he did not agree with the member’s comments, stating “Jivani speaks for himself, and I speak for the party.”
Poilievre is right on that, but he does face an internal problem within the Conservatives.
While the vast majority of Canadians do not support the way that Trump has treated this country, those who do support him are largely aligned with the Conservative Party.
Two separate polls earlier this year show that 50 per cent of Conservatives support Trump. In the Ekos poll, the number of Liberals who support the American president is two per cent, while only three per cent of New Democrats support him.
The polls suggested a civil war in the Tory party on this issue. Such a war has not erupted yet, but given Jivani’s comments in the U.S., the Conservatives will definitely be seized with the issue.
The greatest support for Trump is in Alberta, and that aligns nicely with the support for Poilievre.
Jivani is already working to build a national list of supporters, which he could use to organize a future Conservative leadership.
Even though Poilievre has the support of the country, he may experience some opposition in his party.
His huge victory in the recent leadership review gives him comfort that the party supports his vision and direction.
But politics is a fickle business.
Right now, unity in the country and unity in the party work in Poilievre’s favour. His edges are softening and, if he can keep that up, it could help reshape his image.
But “hissy fit” claims launched by his own members won’t help.
Sheila Copps is a former Jean Chrétien-era cabinet minister and a former deputy prime minister. Follow her on Twitter at @Sheila_Copps.