LILLEY: Poilievre push on affordability ramps up for Christmas

Pierre Poilievre and his Conservative Party are leaning into their top issue heading into Christmas.

It also happens to be the one voters say is the most important to them at the moment – the cost of living.

From now until Christmas Eve, expect to see an online ad from the Conservative Party talking about rising prices and the need to choose hope.

“After 10 years of liberals, Canadian Christmases have grown dimmer. Grocery bills have doubled. Parents and seniors are stunned at the checkout. Dinner tables are emptier, and over two million Canadians now turn to food banks just to get by,” the ad says as a sombre version of Jingle Bells plays in the background.

After talking about the sacrifices Canadians are making due to sky high cost, the ad pivots.

“This heartbreak isn’t normal, and it doesn’t have to continue to be this way. Only the Conservatives have a plan to make life affordable again so families can enjoy a brighter Christmas and a better year ahead this holiday, choose hope,” the ad says.

Campaign-style ad where there is no election in sight

It’s odd to see a campaign-style ad when there is no election on the horizon and at a time when the Conservatives are mainly facing questions about MPs crossing the floor or resigning. The ad is an attempt though to keep some focus on the issue that Poilievre says really matters to Canadians rather than the political drama in Ottawa.

“It is frustrating that the liberal media doesn’t want to talk about affordability and the cost of living and crime crisis, the out-of-control immigration,” Poilievre said in a year-end interview with the Toronto Sun.

“I think we need to focus on people’s daily lives again. Wouldn’t it be nice if when people turn on the news, they could talk about how we’re going to make it possible for them to afford groceries, which are going through the roof, or how our young people are actually going to be able to afford homes? Rather than political and parliamentary intrigue?”

Cost of living the number on issue for voters

It’s no wonder that Poilievre wants to talk about the cost of living – recent polling by Abacus Data shows it is the most important issue for voters and that the Conservatives are well ahead of the Liberals on who can best handle that issue. Asked which party was best able to take on that issue, 42% chose Poilievre’s Conservatives compared to just 29% choosing Mark Carney’s Liberals.

The Conservatives also held a considerable lead over the Liberals on issues such as crime and immigration. In politics, you lean into your strengths and even after the election and now eight months of Carney leading the country, voters are still choosing Poilievre on key issues.

Thus the ad – remind voters that you are there fighting for them. While floor crossing fills times on political chat shows and is fodder for pundits like me, it doesn’t have much impact on the day-to-day life of the average Canadian struggling to pay the bills.

New push by CPC to keep them front of mind for voters

One senior Conservative said this ad is the start of a new process to put issues out in front of voters and put forward the positive Conservative Party message.

“This ad is sign that Team Poilievre isn’t resting on its laurels. It’s actively innovating and growing the team and movement to compete and win. Our work is just beginning,” they said.

Expect to see this ad in heavy rotation if you are online between now and Christmas – and expect more in the New Year.

In the meantime, expect Mark Carney and his team to try and keep you focused Donald Trump and possible Conservative floor crossers. That’s because on dealing with the cost of living and skyrocketing grocery prices, they simply don’t have any solutions.