Jivani’s U.S. connections continue to create ‘clap back’ for Poilievre: strategist

OTTAWA — Some Conservative strategists say there is little to take away from U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s apparent mockery of Leader Pierre Poilievre in a fundraising speech this week.

But Tim Powers, Summa Strategies chair and a former Conservative adviser, says Poilievre is being undermined, at least a little, by the repeated trips to the U.S. by Ontario Conservative MP Jami Jivani.

Jivani and Vance are longtime friends and a recording of a speech by Vance obtained by The Canadian Press shows the vice-president praising Jivani for playing an active role in recent trade talks, and dismissing Poilievre as a “non-entity.”

Jivani has travelled to Washington on numerous occasions, including an April meeting with Canadian business interests and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.