“It really inspired me to become a Conservative. I just loved the message. I loved all the branding. I really love the Conservative Party,” the 19-year-old said during the Conservative conference in Ottawa last week. “I bought a membership and I’m really getting involved, meeting MPs, talking to people and it’s just been a lot of fun.” Deslandes is one of the youngest members of the Conservative Party of Canada — a young man of color who says he was drawn to a positive message about the future. Joshua Deslandes is one of the youngest members of the Conservative Party of Canada. (Buntola Nou/CBC) Poilievre became the new leader last week after garnering two-thirds of the vote — a level of party support that even former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper did not enjoy. Tina Park, a lecturer in Canadian nationalism at the University of Toronto, said Poilievre’s appeal among younger voters is partly due to his social networks and communication strategies – and the fact that he is a relatively new face in Canadian politics. “If you listen to his speeches, it’s very direct, very simple and very relatable to young people who are struggling with inflation issues, who can’t buy a house because things are too expensive for them,” Park said. “Some of his messages are quite extreme, to be honest, but in a way that satisfies a certain appetite in the Canadian public for a change and an alternative vision that could lead them forward and help them design a new future.” . Tina Park, a lecturer in Canadian nationalism at the University of Toronto, said Poilievre’s success with younger supporters is partly due to his social media and communication strategies. (Zoom) Park said as Canadians struggle with inflation caused by the pandemic and global supply chain issues, many are being forced to cut back on spending. “Because of the economic pressure they face, we always have a tendency as humans to turn the other way when you think the current system isn’t working for you,” he said. “Especially younger people in their 30s who want to start a family and then move on to the next stage of their lives, [they] find a new kind of vision in Mr. Poilievre.’ Park said that while the Conservative Party is seeing a diverse group of young people join, it has always had a core group of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and Colored) members, particularly recent immigrants. Sufiyan Master, a 21-year-old from Montreal and new member of the Conservative Party, said he didn’t see himself in the party until recently. “I’ve never thought about politics before … just because it’s a thought that feels so out of reach,” he said “As a Muslim son of immigrants, we’ve always leaned towards the Liberal Party. It was just something that felt at home – it felt like it represented our values. But I think we as minorities, we have this misconception, a misunderstanding of the different visions that different parties can come to the table and offer. “Right now it’s about thinking about the future of Canada and how they’ve been treated over the last few years. It’s clear that a lot of people have not agreed with what’s going on.” Sufiyan Master, 21, says he now feels the Conservatives are doing a better job of addressing the issues he cares about. (Buntola Nou/CBC) As more BIPOC people take on roles with the party, this new diversity also helps attract others, said Aderoju Alao, director of communications for the Black Conservative Union. “For black people, it looks like we finally have a chance on the table [to] for our voice to be heard,” he said. Alao, who is based in Edmonton, said her group has seen more BIPOC and young people interested in Conservative parties across the country. Conservatives also reached out to minority communities and recent immigrants with policies designed specifically for them, he said. “They could be better, but they’re making that effort to make sure they’re reaching as many different populations that exist in their areas,” Alao said. “In the past – and I’m not saying this categorically – given the history of the Conservative Party, there’s been this belief from the public that the BIPOC community can’t be represented in the Conservatives. But we’re moving into a new era.” Aderoju Alao, with the Black Conservative Union, says the Conservatives have made more efforts to reach out to diverse and immigrant communities. (Zoom) Jeff Young, 31, said he sees that happening. He used to consider himself a Liberal – he even campaigned for Justin Trudeau when he was in his 20s. More recently, Yang — who works in financial services in Toronto — campaigned for Poilievre. He said he has noticed that many young people he talks to are now interested in the Conservatives. “I saw it for Mr. Trudeau’s election campaign when he was first running for prime minister. There was a lot of youth support for the Liberal candidates,” he said. “It tells you that this party has a lot of support and grassroots support and gives it a good chance to win the election. “If you look across the room, the stereotype is that usually older white people are conservative. But I see a lot of non-white people coming out to support the Conservatives.” WATCHES | Why these BIPOC youth say they’re drawn to the Conservatives:
Why are these BIPOC youth attracted to the Conservatives
Three young people talk about why they decided to join the Conservative Party at the recent conference in Ottawa.
