Poilievre says Jivani does not speak for Conservatives

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said MP Jamil Jivani does not speak for the party after Jivani told a U.S. news site that Canadians were harming themselves by being anti-American; Poilievre said he disagreed with that characterization.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre told reporters that Ontario MP Jamil Jivani does not speak for the party after Jivani made comments to a U.S. news site criticizing anti-American sentiment in Canada. The remarks came after Jivani spent several days in Washington, D.C., meeting with Vice-President JD Vance and other Trump administration officials. Poilievre said he has spoken to Jivani about the trip and emphasized that he speaks for the party. The exchange unfolded amid a wider dispute over U.S. tariffs that has affected parts of Ontario. Key points: - Poilievre said he did not agree with Jivani's characterization of Canadians as harming themselves by being anti-American and said Jivani speaks for himself, not the party. - Jivani told a right-wing U.S. site that Canada was harming itself by being anti-American, and he also described meetings in Washington as "productive." - Jivani met with Vice-President JD Vance and other Trump administration officials; he was briefed by Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc before the trip. - Poilievre encouraged MPs to use their connections to oppose U.S. tariffs and noted that Jivani represents a riding that has seen more than 1,000 job losses tied to the tariff dispute. - Ontario Premier Doug Ford responded to the visit and the comments by saying he supported communicating with the American public ahead of a CUSMA review, while some Indigenous leaders criticized Jivani's use of U.S.-origin expressions as racist or offensive. Summary: Poilievre's comments underline a public effort by Conservative leadership to distance the party from Jivani's remarks while continuing to address the economic impact of U.S. tariffs. The matter coincides with ongoing bilateral trade tensions and a scheduled review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement this year.