Portrait of Pierre Poilievre
Politician · concept
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Pierre Poilievre on Free Speech

Vocal defender of speech (strong)

TL;DR

Pierre Poilievre strongly vows to defend Canadians' rights to speak and think freely against perceived authoritarian censorship.

Key Points

  • He has pledged to make federal grants for universities conditional on their adherence to upholding academic freedom and free speech.

  • The Conservative Party actively campaigns on a platform to defend Canadians from fines or penalties for expressing their views, calling such actions authoritarian censorship.

  • He stated that he believes in free speech, even for appalling statements, because that is the price of living in a free country, as of November 2023.

Summary

Pierre Poilievre positions himself as a staunch defender of free speech, vowing to restore the rights of Canadians to speak and think freely against what he characterizes as authoritarian censorship. This stance is exemplified by his party's call to action to 'Restore Free Speech,' which explicitly condemns actions such as fining individuals for expressing views on gender, labeling such penalties as "Orwellian." He has also extended his defense of free expression to the academic sphere, pledging to make federal university grants conditional on institutions upholding academic freedom and Charter freedoms.

In context, the Conservative leader suggests that censorship is enforced by 'state censors' who decide acceptable speech, an alternative he rejects, stating the price of a free country includes accepting appalling speech. He has linked what he perceives as censorship to a broader critique of the current government, including boycotting news outlets whose coverage he deemed dishonest or fraudulent. His commitment to protecting free expression is framed as a core conservative principle he intends to uphold if in power.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pierre Poilievre is a strong advocate for free speech, framing it as a core Canadian freedom under threat. He has vowed to defend Canadians from penalties for expressing their views and has promised to secure free expression on university campuses.

Yes, he has proposed tying federal funding for universities to their commitment to protecting Charter freedoms, including free expression, and has committed to stopping the fining of Canadians for their speech. He also intends to appoint a free speech guardian for universities.

The leader stated he has a plan to tackle hate-motivated crimes that does not involve limiting what protesters say, asserting that the alternative is having state censors determine acceptable speech. He views protecting free speech, even for appalling comments, as a necessary condition of living in a free country.