The Knowledge Project: Pierre Poilievre on the Role of Government, Freedom, and Affordability
Host: Shane Parrish
Guest: Pierre Poilievre (Leader, Conservative Party of Canada)
Date: December 27, 2025
Episode Overview
This special episode features Pierre Poilievre, leader of Canada’s Conservative Party, in an in-depth conversation with Shane Parrish. The discussion explores the fundamental role of government, the meaning of Canadian national identity, economic and immigration challenges, and Poilievre’s vision for hope and opportunity in Canada. The conversation goes beyond slogans and partisan talking points, offering detailed policy perspectives, personal stories, and philosophical views on freedom, responsibility, and leadership.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Role of Government in Society
[01:35]
- Government Defined: Poilievre argues that the essence of government is its legal monopoly on the use of force.
“The only thing that's unique about government is that it has the legal power to apply force. That's it.” — Pierre Poilievre [01:35]
- Proper Scope: Government should do only what individuals can’t do for themselves: defense, policing, border control, basic infrastructure, and supporting those unable to provide for themselves.
- Everything else, including media and business subsidies, should be left to market and civil society.
2. Canadian Identity & Unity
[03:40]
- Freedom As Identity: Poilievre emphasizes that Canada’s shared value is freedom, not ethnicity or historical divisions.
“Canada is free and freedom is its nationality. People come here for freedom. They don’t come here for the weather.” — Pierre Poilievre [03:53]
- Canada First: Advocates for re-centering national unity around being “Canadian first,” especially as high immigration rates test absorption and integration.
3. Immigration & Integration
[07:41]
- Too Much, Too Fast: Critiques the scale of immigration (almost 3% growth/year) outpacing growth in jobs, housing, and healthcare.
- Integration Challenge: Mass migration without emphasis on Canadian values and history leads to division.
“We have to get back to telling people Canada is amazing and it's a privilege.” — Pierre Poilievre [09:03]
- Restoring Pride: Suggests fostering pride in Canadian identity and history is essential for successful integration.
4. Economy, Affordability & Government Spending
[19:04]
- Government Crowd-out: Argues that excessive government spending crowds out private sector investment, leading to deficits and inflation.
- Proposed Solution: Reduce deficits, cut bureaucracy, eliminate capital gains tax on reinvestments, and create a low-tax environment for business.
“Every time we add a new government agency...that sucks money out of the private sector into government consumption.” — Pierre Poilievre [19:04]
- Energy Exports: Advocates for unblocking pipelines and LNG development as Canada’s leverage for economic and trade advantage, especially with the U.S. [21:16].
5. Youth, Hope, and Upward Mobility
[11:17]
- “Generation Screwed”: Young Canadians face higher living costs, fewer job opportunities, and barriers to home ownership.
- Cause: Government policies and excessive influx of temporary foreign workers and international students.
- Solutions: End temporary foreign worker programs, boost resource jobs and home building, cut taxes.
“My purpose is to provide people with hope. And that's not just a touchy feely word. It's actually a political strategy for me.” — Pierre Poilievre [13:35]
- Hope as Strategy: Hope is necessary to counteract cynicism and motivate political engagement.
6. Drug Crisis, Social Policy & Accountability
[51:14]
- Critique of Harm Reduction: Suggests the current approach of providing drugs perpetuates the problem due to vested interests.
- Treatment Model: Endorses abstinence-based treatment, citing high success rates.
“There is an entire apparatus that is profiting off of the drug crisis. If the drug crisis were to vanish, they would all stop profiting from it.” — Pierre Poilievre [51:21]
- Tough on Dealers: Advocates life sentences for dealers trafficking lethal doses of fentanyl [54:50].
7. Media Independence & Free Speech
[32:53]
- Media’s Role: Should hold government accountable, but subsidies and regulatory controls have undermined independence.
“You've just made the case that the media is dependent on the government. Can something that is dependent be independent?” — Pierre Poilievre [35:17]
- Censorship Concerns: Criticizes proposed Canadian internet regulations; champions unbridled free speech as the best safeguard against misinformation.
“The single greatest antibody to bad information is good information... the truth clashes with the falsehood.” — Pierre Poilievre [38:44]
8. Personal Reflections & Lighter Moments
[40:02] Get to Know Pierre
- Youth and Resilience: Childhood memories of wrestling, being underestimated, and enjoyment of building with his kids.
- Lifestyle: Discipline with diet, daily workouts, love of independent coffee shops, preference for MMA over boxing.
- Family: Progress with his daughter Valentina; personal stories illustrating determination and joy in small advances.
- Philosophy on Handling Stress:
“As I've grown, I used to have much more anticipatory anxiety... Now...focus on the things that are in your control and it's an incredibly liberating feeling.” — Pierre Poilievre [48:26]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On Hope and Leadership:
“What other choice do we have, but than to have hope? … I meet people who tell me they see me as their hope… and these people don’t give up. So I don’t give up.” — Pierre Poilievre [50:19]
- On Free Speech:
“If you think that a media, an independent media outlet is going to spread disinformation, what's to stop the same disinformation agent from getting into the government bureaucracy that decides what's true and what's not?” — Pierre Poilievre [38:08]
- On National Opportunity:
“What we need to do is unblock pipelines and LNG plants to our coasts... That would be the single biggest boost to overseas exports in the history of Canada.” — Pierre Poilievre [21:44]
- On Challenges Facing Youth:
“This is the hardest the, the youth of today are the hardest working generation of youth since the second world War.” — Pierre Poilievre [09:42]
Important Timestamps — Segment Guide
- Role of Government: [01:35]
- Canadian National Identity: [03:40]
- Immigration Challenges: [07:41]
- Hope & Youth Issues: [11:17], [13:35]
- Economic Solutions & Energy Policy: [19:04], [21:16]
- U.S.-Canada Relations: [21:16]
- Media and Free Speech: [32:53], [35:17], [37:46]
- Drug Crisis Response: [51:14], [54:50]
- Personal Q&A: [40:02]–[48:26]
- Maintaining Hope: [50:19]
- Episode Close: [56:03]
Tone & Language Notes
Throughout, Poilievre’s tone is assertive, solutions-oriented, and interweaves policy detail with personal narratives. The interview is direct, at times critical of recent Canadian governments, but strives to maintain a message of optimism and empowerment. Parsimony, skepticism toward bureaucracy, and strong advocacy for freedom and individual responsibility form recurring themes.
Closing Thoughts
This episode provides a comprehensive look at Pierre Poilievre’s vision for Canada’s future, dissecting not only policy but philosophy and personal motivation. Whether agreeing or disagreeing, listeners gain insight into a worldview that combines economic libertarianism with a call for renewed national unity, accountability, and hope.