Canada’s Conservatives have elected Pierre Poilievre, an unabashed populist, as their leader. Some have taken this as a sign that divisive Trump-style politics are becoming popular in Canada, but that isn’t really the case.

Poilievre’s message lacks the xenophobia that is, unfortunately, too often seen in conservative populism. It instead focuses on economic issues, such as tackling inflation and Canada’s catastrophic housing affordability crisis, as well as maximizing personal freedom. Poilievre has also aggressively rallied against “elitism” and “gatekeepers” — terms that are vaguely defined but tap into the resentment many Canadians feel about a status quo that seems stacked against them. Ultimately, Poilievre’s politics are a mix of anti-establishment populism and classical liberalism.