Election power meter: Premiers and toddlers steal the show in week one

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Welcome to National Post’s campaign Power Meter, where we will track the shifting tides of the election. As the race unfolds, we’ll rank parties, candidates and other characters based on momentum, performance, and public perception. Who’s gaining ground? Who’s losing steam? Keep checking in as we measure the moments that could shape the outcome.

PROVINCIAL PREMIERS: The biggest influence on the federal election campaign so far? Provincial premiers. Two conservative premiers caused headaches for Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he was shifting into campaign. First, a media report revealed that, after an awkward phone call, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he wasn’t keen to help out Poilievre in his quest to be prime minister. Both men denied the story, but Ford later said his MLAs will be too swamped to campaign for their federal cousins. Then, an interview that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith gave to a right-wing outlet in the U.S. made headlines because Smith said she had encouraged the Trump administration to pause the tariffs talk because it’s benefitting the Liberals.
POWER METER RATING: HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE

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CRUZ POILIEVRE: It’s a time-honoured trick in politics to bring out a candidate’s family to make them more likeable. On Sunday, Pierre Poilievre brought his wife Anaida, six-year-old daughter Valentina and three-year-old son Cruz to his campaign launch announcement. Cruz, an aspiring fighter pilot, stole the show. Even his stuffed penguin — named “Penguin” in classic toddler style — got some airtime and a shoutout from the Conservative leader.
POWER METER RATING: AMPLY ADORABLE. 

MARK CARNEY’S FRENCH: After questions were raised about Liberal Leader Mark Carney’s ability to speak French dogged him in his leadership campaign, things got even worse on the federal election campaign trail. This week, Carney declined to take part in the all-important French language TVA debate, leading the network to cancel the whole thing and causing a minor uproar in Quebec. Then, he made the gaffe to end all gaffes on Tuesday by getting confused about the École Polytechnique massacre, saying it happened at Concordia, instead of Polytechnique. He also flubbed the name of Liberal candidate Nathalie Provost, who survived the shooting and has been an anti-gun advocate ever since. At times, French-speaking reporters have struggled to understand Carney and he has often seemed confused by French-language questions.
POWER METER RATING: PAS BON

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