Poilievre attempts overnight shift to  a new political persona On the night of his victory as the new Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre presented a softer version of himself than what Canadians have come to identify the politician with.  Suddenly, parliamentary reporter Karl Nerenberg writes, Poilievre wasn’t the nasty and ruthless Darth Vader of Canadian politics — chanting to defund the CBC, calling to fire the governor of the Bank of Canada, and urging Canadians to support the so-called ‘freedom convoy.’ He was acting as your empathetic neighbour, who understands how inflation is making your life intolerable.  But despite Poilievre’s new political strategy to turn into a kind, gentle and folksy guy-of-the people, Nerenberg argues Canadians and the media should not gloss over the politician Poilievre has shown himself to be in the past. "If media observers and commentators let him get away with it, Poilievre will have accomplished an identity quick-change more dramatic than that of Clark Kent to Superman." — Karl Nerenberg, Parliamentary reporter Poilievre has an anti-choice record despite now claiming to be pro-choice, his attacks on reporters are ‘antithetical to democratic values,’ and he has marched and taken photos with far-right extremists. Poilievre is not your neighbour, Nerenberg writes: he’s a professional politician using Trump-style tactics. Nerenberg isn’t the only one to criticize the new leader. In a speech from the Liberal caucus retreat on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Poilievre on his leadership victory and said that the government has been making “every effort” to work with all politicians. However, Trudeau took a dig at Poilievre by adding “this doesn’t mean that we’re not going to be calling out highly questionable, reckless economic ideas.”  Ahead of the return to Parliament on September 19, Nerenberg says we should remember Poilievre’s backstory, which he now seems to want Canadians to forget. Nerenberg concludes: “We have a duty to tell the whole truth about the new leader of the opposition.”  Read more on rabble.ca