By any measure, the relationship between Ontario Premier Doug Ford and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been something short of warm. In fact, “frosty” barely covers it. But with Ford confirming that Poilievre’s team has reached out to arrange a call, the ice may be starting to crack—though the question remains: is it out of reconciliation, or political necessity?
The public rift between the Ontario PCs and the federal Conservatives has been playing out like a family drama where everyone insists they’re “just fine” while lobbing passive-aggressive jabs across the dinner table. Ford refused to endorse Poilievre during the recent federal election, ostensibly because his team was too busy. But he certainly made time to praise Liberal Leader Mark Carney, calling him “quite a good gentleman” with a brilliant financial mind—words that may as well have been knives for Poilievre, who was not only trying to unseat Carney but also failed to win his own long-held Carleton riding.
And let’s not forget Ford’s campaign manager, Kory Teneycke, openly criticizing the federal Tories for “campaign malpractice.” Ford defended Teneycke without hesitation and even twisted the knife further: “If Kory was running that campaign, I don’t think Mr. Poilievre would be in the position he’s in right now.” That’s less an endorsement than a flashing neon sign saying, “You blew it.”
For their part, the federal Conservatives haven’t taken kindly to Ford’s sniping. MP Jamil Jivani accused the premier of sabotaging their campaign while cozying up to the Liberals. Jivani painted Ford as a political opportunist, trading loyalty for lattes with Chrystia Freeland and Mark Carney.
And yet, now we have this impending call between Ford and Poilievre—a symbolic olive branch, or perhaps a strategic life raft. With Poilievre scrambling to win back a seat via a byelection in Alberta, the Conservative leader needs all the support he can get. Even if it comes from a premier who publicly praised his opponent and critiqued his campaign chops.
Ford’s approach to politics has always been transactional. “I’m willing to work with anyone,” he says, brushing off accusations of Liberal sympathies. In his mind, ideology takes a back seat to pragmatism—especially if it helps Ontario. But politics is perception, and it’s hard not to see this call as a damage-control effort from Poilievre, who’s facing both a leadership review and questions about his future viability.
The reality is, the provincial and federal Conservative parties don’t share a formal membership, and their strategies—and egos—often diverge. Ford’s success in Ontario is built on a populist, centrist blend that doesn’t always gel with Poilievre’s more strident ideological posture. But if the two hope to align for future elections, public collaboration—or at least détente—is essential.
The upcoming phone call could be the first real step toward that. Or it could be another round of hollow optics. In Canadian conservative politics, unity is always preached—but rarely practiced.
Will this thaw lead to true cooperation, or is it just political theater? We’ll find out soon enough.
