Yesterday Ed looked into some blowback that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was receiving from the clergy over what could only be described as his “severely liberal” policies on abortion. That’s to be expected, particularly since we’re talking about the Catholic Church, but is there some sort of rising tide of resistance to liberalism in general showing up in the Great White North? A new poll in Canadian media this week indicates an increasing wave of what’s being described as “populism” among the citizens and some of it is being chalked up to the Trump Effect. (Daily Caller)

A new CROP poll released Monday indicates growing support for a “Trump-style” populist candidate in Canadian politics as well as a growing suspicion of Muslim immigrants. The internet poll surveyed 2,513 people across Canada, including 1,024 Quebecers, and was conducted over four days in January, including the day of the infamous Quebec City Mosque shooting. The good news for Conservative Party of Canada leadership candidate Kellie Leitch and her “Canadian values” campaign: three-quarters of those polled are in favor of vetting new immigrants with a Canadian values test to determine their ideology on basic equality issues. The Canadian mainstream media and even some of Leitch’s Conservative colleagues consistently suggest that Leitch is “extreme” or out of step with mainstream Canadians with her values test.

What’s really fascinating in the results of the survey is the fact that Canada’s conservative party candidate is pushing for some sort of “Canadian values test” for new immigrants. Much like we’ve seen in the United States, the media talking heads and liberal politicians were quick to set their hair on fire and describe such a plan as being both “extreme” and out of touch with Canadian values. But if that’s the case, how is it that fully three quarters of the people in the country are on board with the idea?

Granted, a strong majority of Canadians are quick to bat down any idea which might be portrayed as “Islamaphobia” in any way, and they also agree with the statement that immigrants enrich Canadian culture. But once again, there is a nearly matching, parallel story taking place in the United States. The reality is that there are a few reasonable people I’ve heard of who are opposed to legal immigration and we have always adopted aspects of other cultures into our own when it comes to things such as food, music, clothing or even religion. But that process of “adoption” has always been a voluntary one, where we pick and choose the things that we like and make our own. Sadly, this turns into a useful device for liberals and the media (but I repeat myself) to conflate any opposition to illegal immigration and a subversion of traditional American interests with the normal, welcome effects of legal immigration described above.

60% of respondents to the poll said that they were in favor of new immigrants “adopting Canadian culture” after they arrive. This has to make us wonder precisely who is out of step in Canada these days. It’s beginning to look as if the liberals currently controlling Canada’s government have overplayed their hand to a certain extent. The remaining question to be answered is whether or not they will pay a price for it in the 2018 elections.