The Perils of Populism

Populism has upended politics around the world over the past decade. Claiming to speak for the people, populist leaders denigrate mainstream politicians, threaten democratic norms, and take aim at immigrants and other vulnerable minorities. Canadians have observed this gathering storm with one eye on events elsewhere and another on populist stirrings in the domestic political arena. Populist sentiment helped fuel the Freedom Convoy and was harnessed by Pierre Poilievre as he rose to the leadership of the Conservative Party. With the outcome of the 2025 election, the momentum behind this made-in-Canada populism seems to have faltered. But with populism flourishing globally, is this really the end of the story? In The Perils of Populism, political scientist Paul Howe answers this critical question by digging beneath the surface of recent events to examine the public attitudes, values, biases, and emotions that shape our contemporary political life. He asks probing questions about the commitment of Canadians to democratic norms, to the ideals and practices of engaged citizenship, and to principles of social tolerance and acceptance – finding evidence of vulnerabilities that stand ready to be exploited by a firebrand populist leader who strikes a chord with a critical mass of disaffected Canadians. In these tumultuous times, Howe advises, Canadians must recognize our vulnerability and reach across social divisions to find ways of strengthening our political community together.