Here is a snapshot of an aggressive, threatening tweet from a prestigious Canadian pollster, Frank Graves, president and founder of EKOS Research Associates:
What exactly did Graves mean by “make sure“? There are many possibilities. Graves’ vicious tweet may have been incitement against Pierre Poilievre, a candidate in the upcoming September 10 Conservative leadership race to replace Erin O’Toole, who was ejected as leader of Canada’s official opposition party by his own caucus on February 2 in a not-so-close vote of 73–45. Poilievre is currently a Member of Parliament for the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton. MP Candice Bergen has filled the role of interim leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the leader of the Opposition since February 2.
Poilievre is attracting the worst attacks from the Left, reminiscent of Trump, and the level of Leftist media acrimony is already palpable. His platform is grassroots Conservativism, which is particularly noticeable in a country with a fiercely divided Right. Like Stephen Harper but in a very different era, Poilievre is most likely to unite the Right. Given the activist mainstream media’s reaction to him he is most feared to win, not only the Conservative leadership, but also as a formidable contender against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the next federal election, which is scheduled for October 2025. Note that Graves unintentionally referenced this very point in his tweet. Thanks, Frank.
Many on the Left have become increasingly unhinged in their quest to muscle into hegemony over every sphere of society. Their defense whenever they are called out for becoming particularly threatening, aggressive or unhinged is to resort to cries of “free speech,” as if everyone hasn’t noticed how far Leftists go to cancel dissenting opinions, no matter how rational. Their default branding is: “far-right”, “populist,” and of course “racist” and “Islamophobic.” The Left has efficiently managed to institutionalize cancel culture.
Can one even imagine the deafening howls if a prominent conservative issued the kind of threat that Graves issued to a Liberal MP who is running for leadership?
Graves has made himself into an exhibit of Leftist rage, even though he is counted among the respectable in mainstream civil society. He was also stupid enough to publicize his own indiscretion, which was odd particularly in a pollster, as balance and fairness are requirements for credibility in his business.
On the EKOS website:
EKOS has had an unwavering focus on its core vision — knowledge for action. This deceptively simple commitment guides our organization in the application of scientifically accurate evidence to solve real-world problems for our diverse clients. Although the mission has remained the same, the methods and techniques for applying reliable and valid evidence to the solution of strategic decision making has been constantly refined to respond to new challenges and substantive topics.
Really?
There was nothing “diverse,” “scientific,” “refined” or “strategic” about Frank Graves’ public Twitter display. On the contrary, it was sheer lunacy. He deleted his tweet, but many screenshots were taken and widely distributed. It even ended up an article in the National Post, which stated:
his online onslaught, as head of a prominent political polling firm, only dumped fuel on the populist fire he loathes.
The tweet wasn’t his first Twitter lapse in discretion, either. The National Post article continued:
This was just one of many similar statements made by Graves, most of which have since been deleted.
Yet of course Graves denies that any “personal bias seeps into EKOS’s polling data.” Let’s just forget his fiery emotional impulses on Twitter and subsequent deleted tweets. The notoriously Leftist Globe and Mail rushed to defend Graves in a full-page story, while laughably headlining it as a “non-story.” The activist article in which the Globe and Mail’s Adam Radwanski defends Graves states that “most pollsters I’ve encountered have strong ideological views,” which embarrassingly had to be corrected by Randwanski in an update:
Update: Darrell Bricker has asked me to clarify that he and his Ipsos Reid colleagues don’t have any partisan affiliation.
Let’s face it, there’s a big difference between personal preference and indiscreet open rage, a distinction that Radwanski glosses over. There’s also a difference between open rage and a personal threat to the potential leader of an official party. Graves crossed the lines of professional conduct, discretion and potentially even legality. Does Poilievre need to watch his back? Or does Graves simply intend to campaign hard against Poilievre? Only Graves can truly account for his own intentions. Nonetheless, how could one rationally think it is acceptable to threaten to “make sure” a candidate doesn’t lead a country and back up that threat with another threat that “I don’t make idle threats?” A reminder to the arrogant Graves: it isn’t only “his” country.
somehistory says
Many hypocrites and liars in the society of today. They screech and threaten and claim it’s just ‘free speech,’ but those with whom they disagree better not say or write anything these hypocrites don’t like.
If they do, then the screechers want censorship of the “hate” and the whatever other labels they can attach to say only they have freedom to express themselves…even to threatening death is their “right.”
mortimer says
The globalist pseudo-socialists are in effect connected at the hip to elitists in big corporations … thus, they are not ‘socialists’ at all, but Mussolini-style fascists. They want their own version of authoritarianism, led by oligarchs and elites, rather than popularly-elected populist politicians who win the people over by supporting their own selfish interests for more freedom and more property and wealth.
The socialists and fascist both want the people to get LESS while the elites get MORE.
That is what crypto-fascist Frank Graves is actually stating. He wants to have a government by the few … an oligarchy of people like himself … not a party of smelly, ignorant workers … a fascist oligarchy of the wealthy, by the wealthy and for the wealthy.
revereridesagain says
Threats uttered by political thugs which are not “idle” can turn into criminal acts. Just sayin’…
gravenimage says
Grimly true, revereridesagain.
Kevin Droughan says
Mr. Graves is a open sore on the Canadian political scene. It would be intresting to find out how much money he received from Trudeau’s Liberals for his undying support. As with all Progressive Marxists the cry of disinformation and misinformation is code for we don’t want to hear what you have to say and we’ll use government power to shut you down. We can only hope that Mr. Poliviere hands Mr Trudeau, or as I like to call him Little Fidel a drubbing in the next election and rid us of this Marxist stain on Canadian politics.
libertyORdeath says
He can say things like this because they have a similar situation to the 2020 US elections…leftist mainstream media support, leftist funding of elections, censorship of conservatives, and the all important Dominion voting machines to make sure his threats come true.
Infidel says
That’s a pretty Grave threat 😈
Anyway, so much for the theory that our Kanuck neighbors are the polite versions of us
mortimer says
The Liberal Party of Canada is filled with rage-filled, repressed people who let out their rage and intemperate passion to punish in politics. The only common interest of the Canadian LIberal party follower is the lust for power. They want power for its own sake … they are willing to go to skirt the laws to get it.
When Canadian Liberals are like rage-filled, angry teenagers. They are sore losers and smug winners even after they cheat and lie to win.
Bella says
If over 200,900 votes weren’t counted the last time Canadians can count on them cheating again. The WEF installed Macaroni they’ll install Trudy.
gravenimage says
Canadian pollster tells Conservative candidate: ‘You’re never going to lead my country. I don’t make idle threats.’
……………
Well, *this* is deeply disturbing, and for multiple reasons.
Firstly, a pollster is supposed to remain objective in reporting opinions. This does not of course mean that a pollster cannot have their own political opinions–it would be unrealistic and unfair to suppose that they would not. But they are not supposed to have obvious biases. What are the chances, given this Tweet, that Graves is honest in objectively reporting others’ opinions?
A pollster is supposed to report opinions, *not* influence or skew them.
Then, leaving aside the fact that he is a pollster, how is this threat appropriate under *any* circumstances? As a private citizen and voter he can support Pierre Poliviere’s policies or oppose them, but threatening him or any other public figure is just wrong.
mortimer says
“MY COUNTRY” ??? Indeed?
Who made Frank Graves DICTATOR?
James Lincoln says
gravenimage says,
“…threatening him or any other public figure is just wrong.”
Absolutely, and possibly criminal.
gravenimage says
Agreed, Mortimer and James.
mortimer says
Frank Graves should be immediately fired by the board for making such a biased remark. A polling firm must be scrupulously disinterested in polling scientifically and accurately.
Frank Graves cannot be trusted to produce ACCURATE, HONEST POLLING RESULTS.
Frank Graves should be fired right away to restore confidence in the polling firm.
mortimer says
correction: A polling firm must be scrupulously disinterested in ORDER TO POLL scientifically and accurately.
Otherwise the polling results of EKOS may be presumed to be FABRICATED and COOKED UP by bigots like Frank Graves.
gravenimage says
+1
mortimer says
From now on, EVERY POLLING RESULT touched by Frank Graves must be ASSUMED to be FALSE FABRICATION.
Thus, the all work of EKOS has ipso facto become WORTHLESS and anyone seeking trustworthy and accurate polling …
… SHOULD NOT USE EKOS.
gravenimage says
Yes–not sure I’d trust them after this.
E T says
The Conservative will pick their new leader on September 10, there is all kinds of time for the rodents to rave. I loved the reaction when Elon Musk tweeted “I love Canada”, then Viva tweeted “Why don’t you buy Canada?” and Elon tweeted “How much?” The loons went wild. He he he
People in Canada are being whipped up to a new level of madness by Justine’s scaremongers, – – now it is the 6th wave we are dealing with. I am keeping my canoe and all my shovels, shit happens.
If all were right with the world, CBC and all the left loons, like Graves, would not get another damn dollar from Justine, the global little clown.
Tom says
We now know just how little credibility his polling will have and just how biased it will be come election time.
Closet Woke leftists heads are exploding now with a popular politician threatening their radical left wing control over the narrative, along with an avowed free speech advocate purchasing one of their greatest control weapons.
Elon Musk and Pierre Poilievre are men for our times who will once again balance the playing field, and that terrifies the elitists.
The time has come for the left to be put back in their box for another generation.