Pierre Poilievre, who friends say is a politician with strong convictions and a natural gift for politics, won’t have to worry too much about his controversial comments on the day of the Prime Minister’s Indian residential schools apology. In fact, his supporters and detractors alike say the MP’s support in his riding may have increased as a result.

In the last session of Parliament, Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre (Nepean-Carleton, Ont.), Canada’s youngest-serving MP, 29, attracted national media attention first as the government’s point-man on the so-called in-and-out election spending scheme, and then later for comments he made questioning the “value” of a compensation package that was part of the Prime Minister’s apology to survivors of residential schools.

“The emails were overwhelming. Eighty-five per cent were in total agreement with him,” said Steve Madely, a CFRA radio host who had Mr. Poilievre on the station’s The Lunch Bunch program on the day of the Prime Minister’s apology, when Mr. Poilievre made the comments that caused a national uproar and led him to apologize the next day in the House.

Mr. Madely said it is important to note the context in which Mr. Poilievre made the comments in question. He stressed that there is an important distinction between an interview and a panel discussion such as The Lunch Bunch. The comments were made during a discussion between Mr. Madely, CFRA host Michael Harris, and Mr. Poilievre.

“I think it was taken out of context in terms of the entire conversation that had taken place. Not all of the words were from him because it was not an interview. The other two participants in the discussion had as much time on the air and made as many points as [Mr. Poilievre] did. Yes, he’s a Member of Parliament, but he’s coming in for a discussion of events and issues and reacting to the claims, statements, points, opinions, of the other people who are as much a part of that program as the MP,” said Mr. Madely.

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