Conservative strategists say Trump comparisons no reason for Poilievre to change gears [Video]

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s pledge to boost Arctic security through a “massive” cut to Canada’s foreign aid budget has led to renewed attacks from his political opponents, who are accusing him of borrowing policy from U.S. President Donald Trump.

But some Conservative strategists are brushing off those comparisons, saying now is not the time for the party to change course even as it plans a large rally in Ottawa this weekend that pundits have billed as a pivot point.

In a social media post on Wednesday, the Liberal Party stitched together clips of Poilievre and Trump promising foreign aid cuts with the tag line, “Gosh, how does he come up with these policies?”

The Trump administration has frozen foreign assistance and development funding and moved to cut staff at USAID, the agency responsible for a $40-billion US aid budget. The Vatican’s charity said this week the plan to gut USAID …