Candice Malcolm’s Smear Campaign: A Blatant Attack on Mark Carney’s Family and a Troubling Connection to Pierre Poilievre

In the murky world of right-wing media spin, Candice Malcolm and her Juno News platform have once again crossed a line. This time, her target is not just Prime Minister Mark Carney, but his trans adult child, Sasha. Malcolm’s latest hit piece is not journalism—it’s a calculated, mean-spirited attempt to undermine Carney’s credibility by dragging his family into the political fray. And what makes this attack even more alarming? The clear alignment between Malcolm’s agenda and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s own media strategy.

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash

A Smear Disguised as Journalism

Malcolm’s article fixates on Sasha Carney’s gender identity, repeatedly misgendering them and using their past association with the Tavistock Clinic to stoke transphobic narratives. Rather than offering any substantive critique of Carney’s policies, Malcolm leans into the tired and derogatory trope of calling him “woke” simply because he has a trans child. The term, long hijacked by conservative culture warriors, is wielded here to suggest that Carney’s leadership is somehow weakened or compromised by his personal life.

This is not investigative journalism; it’s a smear campaign. It’s an attempt to use someone’s gender identity as a political weapon—an egregious, unacceptable tactic that has no place in public discourse. Malcolm, like many in far-right media circles, is not engaging in good-faith debate. She is throwing red meat to a base that thrives on outrage and culture war grievances, all while hiding behind the guise of “independent journalism.”

Even one of Poilievre’s own MPs called out the behaviour. Dan Albas posted on X “I will not link to any online content about this but will say that elected officials children should not be the target of political attacks.” But, silence from Poilievre—he was too busy attacking Carney.

Poilievre’s Troubling Ties to Malcolm’s Platform

This would be reprehensible enough on its own, but the broader implications of Malcolm’s influence are even more concerning. Poilievre has repeatedly amplified content from Juno News and Malcolm’s other venture, True North, which positions itself as an “independent” media organization but consistently promotes right-wing narratives favorable to the Conservative Party. The Conservative MP in my district, Tracy Gray also shares Juno’s articles.

Poilievre has appeared on Malcolm’s platforms multiple times, giving her interviews where he advances his political agenda with little pushback. He has shared Juno News stories that frame him in a positive light, using the outlet as an unofficial arm of his communications strategy. This isn’t just a case of a politician having friendly media allies—it’s part of a deliberate plan to shape the media landscape in Canada to favor Poilievre’s ideology.

The Hypocrisy of Poilievre’s Media Policy

Perhaps most telling is Poilievre’s stance on media funding. He has pledged to defund the CBC, Canada’s public broadcaster, claiming it is biased and out of touch with Canadians. Yet, at the same time, he has signaled that he would extend government subsidies to so-called “independent” outlets—many of which, like Juno News and True North, push his political agenda.

The hypocrisy is staggering. Poilievre decries government-funded media as illegitimate when it doesn’t align with his views, yet he is eager to funnel taxpayer dollars into right-wing media sources that serve as his echo chamber. This is not a defense of press freedom—it’s an attempt to rig the system in his favor.

Sounds like Trump. Is anyone listening?

The Bottom Line: A Dangerous Trend

What we are seeing is a concerted effort to reshape Canada’s media landscape to benefit Poilievre and his political ambitions. Malcolm’s smear campaign against Carney’s family is just one piece of this larger puzzle—a cynical, mean-spirited tactic that should be condemned by anyone who believes in fair and ethical journalism.

Dragging a Prime Minister’s family into the political arena is unacceptable. Weaponizing trans identity to score cheap political points is disgraceful. And aligning with a media ecosystem that thrives on these smear tactics is a major red flag for any leader who claims to be acting in the interest of all Canadians.

Pierre Poilievre’s cozy relationship with Candice Malcolm and her platform is not just problematic—it’s a warning sign of the kind of media landscape he envisions. Canadians should take note.

And Candice Malcolm should issue a full public apology for her transphobic smear campaign, retract the article, and commit to journalistic integrity instead of weaponizing bigotry for political gain.