My Dream for Poilieve's Opening Night Fire Side Chat with the Nation.

Teddy Roosefelt did them and it seemed to work.

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Please, Mr. Poilievre, take out the cardigan, put some wood on the fire and take a seat.

Fireside chats were a series of informal radio broadcasts delivered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) between 1933 and 1944. These broadcasts revolutionised how leaders communicated with their citizens, making complex issues accessible while fostering a sense of trust and connection during some of the most challenging times in American history.

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This is my dream fireside chat for Poilieve to give on his first night in office.

Note: 

If PP and the Cons only get in as a minority or don’t get in, Canada’s economic goose will be cooked. This will only embolden the hubristic dreams of WEF-trained politicians who can see the economic collapse and still tell themselves that things are going well.

Such ‘leaders’ are too selfish and stupid to understand how to create prosperity of spirit and wealth. 

As humans, we fatally confuse the combination of confidence and many words with what we think is intelligence. This is a dangerous and costly error.

We can no longer rely on the wisdom of two people without economic training: one who barely worked and lived off a trust fund and the other who was not humbled or ready to alter her course even after she drove her division of Reuters into the ground.

Hubris is a powerful force. The capacity of such men and women to lie to themselves in the face of overwhelming evidence is astounding. A team of psychologists could not sort them out.

It seems symbolically portrayed in a PM who waves to non-existent followers as he sits on his plane. He believes the population loves him, and if they swear at him, they are too thick to understand his enlightened thinking.

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Good evening, my fellow Canadians.

It’s time for some plain speaking and common sense. I am not here to tell you that what you see with your eyes is wrong, that any negative perception of our country is an ugly mirage or that, as my predecessor said, things are going well.

The late and disgraced Liberals never tired of gaslighting Canadians and telling them that all was well. They told Canadians that their hardships were delusions resulting from a poor attitude. They said our fellow citizens were just having a vibe session and were not bright enough to see how wonderful Liberal economic stewardship had been.

The people are and were not wrong. The government has been wrong.

Canada is in serious trouble, and we must face this reality with clarity and courage. We’ve been coasting on borrowed time for years—living beyond our means, failing to address structural problems in our economy, and letting complacency take root. To secure our future, we must act now as adults and realise that we must not simply defer hard choices to someone else down the line.

A Time for Priorities

For too long, Canadian governments have failed to prioritise. They have treated every issue as urgent, every demand equally deserving, and every voice equally vital to the national agenda. In doing so, they have spread our resources thin, diluted our focus, and left critical challenges unaddressed.

We live in a finite world where neither time nor money is unlimited, and we must face the reality that we cannot have everything. I want to speak plainly about foundational issues crucial to our nation's strength and prosperity. We must commit to these priorities, not as short-term fixes but as the cornerstones of a better future.

Our path forward demands that we choose wisely, act boldly, and let go of the distractions that have kept us from achieving our full potential as a country.

‘Our Economy

Let’s look at the numbers. Canada’s per capita GDP—a key measure of our citizens' wealth and productivity—has declined for over a decade. On our current path, by 2050, the average Canadian's income will be 50% of that of our neighbours to the south.

In 2021, our per capita GDP ranked 17th among OECD countries, well behind nations like the United States, Germany, and Australia. Productivity growth, the engine of long-term economic prosperity, has also stagnated. Canada’s productivity ranks among the lowest in the G7, and the gap is widening.

Meanwhile, our national debt has ballooned to over $1.2 trillion, with annual deficits piling on billions more. Each Canadian now owes over $31,000 in public debt. What does this mean for you? It means higher taxes, less investment in vital services, and fewer opportunities for our children. This runaway debt isn’t just numbers on a balance sheet; it’s a heavy chain around the neck of our future prosperity.

We must stop pretending that these problems will fix themselves and hope that someone in the future will take care of things; we can no longer sacrifice the future for the present.

We need mature, evidence-based solutions that reflect the seriousness of our challenges.

Leadership isn’t about offering comforting platitudes; it’s about empowering Canadians with the truth and providing the tools to build a stronger future.

Tonight, I ask you to join me in charting a bold course forward—one built on hard work, honesty, and a shared commitment to a better Canada.

I wish to speak to you not as a politician or prime minister seeking your approval but as a fellow citizen deeply concerned about the future of our great nation. I’ve been inspired by the fireside chats of Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who used this format not to pacify but to educate, not to charm but to challenge.

Tonight, I ask for your attention, not to make promises but to present hard truths.

Canada is at a crossroads. We must decide whether to rise to meet our challenges as a mature nation or continue down a path of short-term comforts at a long-term cost.

First, we must address any nation's most sacred responsibility: defending its sovereignty and people. Despite its vast resources, generous spirit, and enviable geography, Canada has grown complacent about its security.

But let us not be lulled by the false sense of safety our natural advantages provide. Our Arctic sovereignty is increasingly contested, our military is underfunded, and our alliances are strained by our inability to meet even the most basic commitments.

A country that cannot defend itself is not truly sovereign.

Thomas Hobbes, the famous British writer, said so many hundreds of years ago,

“The office of the sovereign… consists in the end for which he was trusted with the sovereign power, namely the procuration of the safety of the people.”

Times have not changed; the core mission of the state must be to protect its people. Sadly, we have let our military decline and have resisted frequent requests to fix our broken military; we have simply relied on the protections of our neighbours to the south, but we must now find our place back as adults in the community of democratic nations.

Yet, we lag far behind our NATO allies in defence spending, at just over 1.3% of GDP—well below the agreed-upon 2%. We must do better. Our administration will get Canada to 2%. We will focus on building the military into a proud fighting force, our spending will be to provide the military with the best tools at the best value, not on giving work to key ridings to create jobs and procure votes.

This is not just about meeting obligations or protecting our borders. It is about projecting confidence on the world stage, ensuring the security of our economy and people, and fulfilling the fundamental promise of government: protecting those it serves.

On Deficits and Debt: Understanding the Consequences

Canada has lived beyond its means for too long. Liberal politicians have tried to convince you that deficits are mere abstractions, numbers with a few extra zeroes that someone else will pay. That could not be further from the truth. As economist Milton Friedman warned, “There is no such thing as a free lunch.” Every dollar borrowed today must be repaid—with interest—by our children and grandchildren.

Let me break this down simply. Canada’s federal debt is now over $1.2 trillion. That means each Canadian owes approximately $31,000 in public debt. What does this mean for you? It means higher taxes, fewer public services, and less ability to respond to future crises. Debt also crowds out private investment, making it harder for businesses to grow, innovate, and create jobs.

In the 2024–25 fiscal year, the federal government is projected to spend 10.4% of its total budgetary expenditures on public debt charges, amounting to $46.5 billion.

This will only worsen; now, we spend as much on interest payments as health care.

If we do not address this now, we risk turning into a nation shackled by its past mistakes. The Bank of Canada’s fight against inflation—partly caused by reckless government spending—has already driven up mortgage rates and the cost of living. We cannot continue down this path of fiscal irresponsibility without dire consequences.

Embracing Canada’s Strengths: Our Natural Resources

Canada is uniquely blessed with abundant natural resources that have long been the backbone of our prosperity. We are among the world’s leaders in oil and gas production, with reserves in the Alberta oil sands alone estimated at over 165 billion barrels—one of the largest in the world. Our vast mineral wealth includes essential materials like nickel, copper, and rare earth elements critical for modern technologies. Our forests provide globally sought-after timber, and our agricultural sector feeds millions at home and abroad. These are strengths that few nations can rival, and we must stop treating them as liabilities. Of course, we must be good environmental stewards, but we must act in our best interests.

No other nation actively seeks to undermine its competitive advantages as we do.

The United States, Australia, and Norway responsibly develop resources while ensuring economic growth. Yet here in Canada, in the name of climate change or fleeting political trends, we impose punitive regulations and stifle the industries that have built our country. This self-sabotage is neither sustainable nor wise. ‘

Our leader has turned down offers to supply natural gas to Western Europe, a plan that would have lowered C02 emissions by replacing coal with natural gas while also providing thousands of high-paying Canadian jobs.

We can not longer afford such economic illiteracy, such slavish ideological pursuit or World Economic Forum elites whose ideas sound wonderful over cocktails in luxury hotels in Switzerland, but fail when implemented in the hardscrabble real world.

Climate responsibility does not mean abandoning our resources but innovating to use them more efficiently and cleanly.

Simply put, Canada cannot afford to be the gifted 5’9” soccer player told to pivot to basketball because it is fashionable. We must embrace our natural advantages and be secure in the knowledge that they are vital to our economy and global stability. Playing to our strengths, not fighting them, ensures a prosperous, sustainable future for generations.

Becoming Adults as a Nation

For too long, Canada has been like a 33-year-old still living in the basement, unwilling to face the realities of adulthood. It’s time for us to grow up as a country. That means making hard choices and recognising that good intentions are not substitutes for effective action. The old proverb says, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions. "

This starts with recognising that we cannot afford another government operating like a marketing department for its electoral interests.

Policies must be evidence-based, not driven by the latest polls or focus groups. Leadership is not about telling people what they want to hear but explaining what they need to hear.

We must also stop protecting inefficient industries at the expense of consumers. Take supply management, for instance, which drives up the cost of basic goods like milk, eggs, and cheese. Ending these policies would benefit millions of Canadians, especially the most vulnerable. But entrenched interests resist change, and politicians lack the courage to confront them.

I will not be that kind of leader.

Similarly, we must break down interprovincial trade barriers that cost our economy billions annually. It is absurd that goods can move more freely across international borders than within our own country. Free trade is not just an abstract economic theory but a proven driver of prosperity. By allowing businesses to access broader markets, we can create jobs, lower costs, and increase innovation.

The Opportunity Cost of Inaction

Another concept we must understand as a nation is opportunity cost, the idea that every dollar spent in one area is a dollar that cannot be spent elsewhere. When we invest in inefficiencies, we deprive other vital areas like health care, education, and infrastructure of money. We cannot have everything; we overspend and must stop this habit.

Speaking of spending moves us to health care, we must acknowledge that our single-payer system, while noble in intention, is failing too many Canadians. Wait times for surgeries, diagnostics, and specialists are among the longest in the developed world. This is not a criticism of our doctors and nurses—some of the world's best—but a recognition that the system needs reform. The federal government must work with the provinces to incentivise innovative approaches that deliver better patient outcomes.

This is not about abandoning our values. It is about living up to them. As former Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier said, “Canada is free, and freedom is its nationality.” True freedom includes the freedom to access timely, high-quality health care, no matter where you live or how much you earn.

The Danger of Myths and Vanity Policies

Canada must also shed the myths and vanities that hold us back. Too often, we define ourselves by what we are not—particularly by what we are not compared to our American neighbours. This insecurity fosters a national identity based on smugness rather than substance. We clutch our pearls at every perceived slight, focusing on moral posturing rather than practical results.

Our government cannot continue to cater to special interest groups at the expense of the common good. Policies must reflect the sober judgment of the common person, not the whims of vocal minorities.

This is not about silencing dissent but ensuring Canadians' broader interests precede selfish, narrow agendas.

A Call for Boldness and Courage

Canada needs ambitious, bold leadership that is unafraid to challenge the status quo. We cannot afford to be paralysed by the fear of criticism or the allure of short-term popularity. As Teddy Roosevelt famously said, “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The next best thing is the wrong thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”

That is why my government will not live and die by the polls. We will articulate a clear plan based on evidence and principles. We will not shy away from tough conversations about defence spending, fiscal discipline, or health care reform. We will not pander to the pearl clutchers or retreat from common-sense solutions in the face of bad-faith accusations.

Canadians deserve better than lip-service leadership. We deserve to be treated like adults, capable of understanding complex issues and making informed decisions. Perhaps if we are treated like adults, we will begin to act like adults—as a nation that takes pride in its sovereignty, fiscal responsibility, and collective future.

The Path Forward

My fellow Canadians, we stand at a pivotal moment in our history. Our choices in the coming years will define the kind of country we leave to our children and grandchildren. Let us choose to be a nation of sober judgment and serious action, a nation that values results over rhetoric and faces challenges with courage and resolve.

It will not be easy—change never is—but I believe in the Canadian people's strength, resilience, and intelligence. Together, we can build a future that honours our past while embracing the opportunities and challenges of the present.

The Importance of Freedom and Responsibility

As we look to the future, we must reaffirm the values at the core of our society: freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, and freedom from unreasonable government interference.

These freedoms are not just privileges; they are rights that define what it means to be Canadian. This government will not follow the model of the last government, which flirted with censorship through legislation that sought to regulate what Canadians could say and think.

Free speech is not about protecting only what is comfortable or popular—it is about defending that ideas must be debated openly, not suppressed by a government too thin-skinned to face criticism. We will treat other cultures respectfully, but let me be clear: this country has foundational values everyone must embrace.

We will not allow the importation of traditions or animosities from elsewhere that undermine our shared commitment to freedom and equality.

Justin Trudeau once said that Canada was a “post-national state” with no core identity and that he admired the Communist Party of China for its ability to “get things done.” Let me state unequivocally that this party and this government reject those ideas utterly.

Being Canadian means embracing freedom of expression, economic freedom, and the freedom to be treated as adults capable of making our own decisions.

My vision for this country is simple: We must embrace what is good and discard what has hurt us.

The government must not overstep its bounds, interfere with free markets, or provide the environment for prosperity to flourish. However, the government cannot be a force that citizens reflexively look to for everything. We must also not meddle unnecessarily in the economy or our society's freedoms.

As your political leaders, we do not come to you with solutions for every problem; we will treat you as adults and provide a strong environment for growth. We will no longer meddle with the economy and the markets, giving billions away to companies and industries who have powerful connections with politicians in Ottawa; we will lower our corporate tax rate and create a level playing field, not a field where industry focuses not on their mandates of competing and becoming profitable but one where they focus on trying to get as much money as possible from the government.

Of course, this habit helps a few, but it is not in the nation's best interests. We must act in the nation's interests, not those of a few well-connected individuals or companies.

We must shed the insecurities of adolescence and take our place as adults among the democratic nations of the world. Together, we will chart a bold new direction that respects our heritage, preserves our freedoms, and ensures a brighter future for all Canadians.

Thank you, and may God bless Canada.