The Post-Trudeau Populist Blame Game: A New Research Brief by York's Observatory of Populism in Canada

Populist narratives blame elites for national crises—but what happens when the primary target steps down?

A new research brief by the Observatory of Populism in Canada dives into Pierre Poilievre’s post-Trudeau blame game. With Trudeau out of the picture, Poilievre has swiftly repositioned his messaging—shifting his attacks to Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland.

The analysis of 6,800+ tweets shows:
📌 Poilievre mentioned Trudeau nearly 50% of the time before his resignation.
📌 Since then, Poilievre has redirected blame toward Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland, while still tying them to Trudeau in his attacks.
📌 The branding of "Just Like Justin" ensures continuity in his anti-elite rhetoric.

The results show how slogans and targeted rhetoric sustain a sense of enemy-driven conflict, aligning with the literature on the populist performance of crisis.

To access more information about the Observatory of Populism in Canada - including its additional research briefs - visit the website.