Maxime Bernier, the leader of the new People’s Party of Canada, is trying to rally conservatives unimpressed with the Conservative Party of Canada.

“The most important difference between the Conservatives and us is the fact that the Conservatives are tendering to identity politics.” Bernier said in an interview.

Jim Farney, University of Regina Politics and International Studies Department Head, thinks all federal parties are playing identity politics.

“The question is which identity they’re going after,” said Farney.

“Bernier is part of the storm that’s pulling the conservatives to the right … Certainly lots of yellow vest type folks who don’t like immigration are hearing him as a more amenable partner.”

One of Bernier’s main promises is to alter the federal equalization formula which gives funds from have provinces to have-not provinces.

“It is not fair that people in Western Canada, in Regina, in Saskatchewan, in Alberta, are paying for, giving money to provinces like my own province in Quebec,” Bernier said.

“It’s a poverty trap … So we need to change that and give the right incentives to provinces to develop their own resources … [the Conservatives] don’t have the courage to speak about that because they want to buy votes in Quebec and Atlantic Canada.”

Farney questions Bernier’s view of how the equalization formula can lead to a poverty trap.

“You have to accept the original impulse of the equalization formula, which is the delivery of at least a basic line of public services to people regardless of where they live,” said Farney. “You can call that a poverty trap, but I don’t think in the long term that’s actually how it’s worked.

“If you look at the Maritimes, which is where people talk about it, there’s been huge outmigration. And so it’s not enough of an incentive for people to stay in places where there’s no jobs and no industry.”

Bernier also distances himself from the Conservatives when it comes to climate regulation. Bernier lost the 2017 Conservative leadership race to current Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, before starting the People’s Party of Canada.

“[Scheer] will not impose a [carbon] tax, but he will impose more regulations to businesses to be sure that he will achieve the Paris accord goals for fighting climate change,” said Bernier.

“We won’t impose a carbon tax, but at the same time we won’t impose more burdensome regulations, and we’ll let provinces put forward their own economic policies or programs against climate change.

“We will repeal the Paris Agreement.”

The agreement came into effect Nov. 4, 2016, with a goal of limiting the rising global temperature to well-below two degrees Celsius this century. The agreement aims for changes as early as 2020.

Farney questions the viability of provincial climate policies in place of an overarching federal climate policy.

“In my opinion there’s not enough teeth [with the provinces] to add up to something that looks like a solution for our Paris commitments,” said Farney.

Building pipelines has been another focus of Bernier’s platform.

“If necessary we’ll need to use our constitution to do that – section 92(10),” Bernier said, “And declare construction of a pipeline of our national interest. So I’m ready to do that, Andrew Scheer is not ready to do that. I think he’s too afraid of a bad press in Quebec.”

Section 92(10) of The Constitution Act, 1867, guarantees federal jurisdiction over modes of interprovincial and international transportation and communication if it is in the national interest. This could theoretically be used to build pipelines even if provinces do not want them.

Conservative Party of Canada Leader Andrew Scheer was unavailable for comment at deadline. His office in Regina was contacted and they relayed the message to his Ottawa office.