On Friday’s Rebel Roundtable livestream, Sheila Gunn Reid and David Menzies were joined by political commentator Brittany Foote to discuss Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre’s recent appearance on popular American podcast The Joe Rogan Experience, during which he took a “gentler” approach to championing Canadian issues. 

Brittany Foote discussed how the episode has garnered widespread attention, even circulating among crucial older voters on Facebook. 

“I feel like this is finally the side of Pierre that we’ve all been wanting to see,” she said. “The problem with political content is a lot of times it's overpolished. So it was really nice to see Pierre just sit down and have a very genuine conversation.” 

“It cannot be a bad policy to talk to the most number of people,” Sheila pointed out. “Especially when we are in a terse situation with the Americans… To speak to the Republicans directly on the shows that they watch — that’s the good way to do it.”

Poilievre also commented on Canada’s immigration issues, including the havoc wreaked by misuses of the international student and temporary foreign worker programs. “We’re a nation of immigrants, but we’re also a nation of laws,” he told Rogan. 

Sheila admitted to feeling underwhelmed by Poilievre’s response, wishing he had been more tough and factual with his approach. 

“He’s right on all the points… but I would have liked to have seen more data,” she said. “He could have hammered youth unemployment for Canadian youth… Temporary foreign workers are destroying the job market for Canadian youth.” 

She added: “Poilievre is right… You cannot claim refugee status from the world’s largest democracy of India. Yes, I get it, Canada is nicer than India, for now… But just because we’re nicer and you like it here and — of course — you want to live here doesn’t mean you can.”