As the Liberals have shifted rightward—not just on immigration but also on military spending, climate policy, and public safety—the federal Conservative leader appears to have gone looking for an issue on which to distinguish himself. He is now signalling that scapegoating immigrants and people seeking asylum will be central to that plan.

Poilievre’s allies in think tanks, lobby firms, and the media think he’s found a winning strategy. In the wake of Poilievre’s defeat in the last election, former Conservative staffer Josie Sabatino described it as a “new era” in which Poilievre can “move beyond the risk-averse messaging of a campaign.” National Post columnist Geoff Russ called it “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to finally turn immigration into an issue our politicians can openly and honestly debate.” Conservative activist Amy Hamm declared that the days of labelling Conservatives as racist for their views on immigration have passed.

Anti-immigrant sentiments will only grow the more immigrants are falsely blamed for problems in housing, health care and unemployment—all of which are better explained by the policies of austerity-loving politicians and the corporate class. None of these dynamics are new in Canada, but they are likely to grow with more oxygen from federal Conservatives.