'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming "the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists," after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
"Every politician has to make choices about what kind of leader they want to be," Trudeau said Wednesday while promoting his budget. "Are they the kind of leader that is going to exacerbate divisions, fear, and polarization in our country? Make personal attacks and welcome the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists?"
"Because that's exactly what Pierre Poilievre continues to do," Trudeau said, while suggesting that his main opponent has yet to present a plan to lead that goes beyond exploiting Canadians' fears.
The prime minister was responding to media questions about remarks Poilievre made at a recent appearance in Atlantic Canada.
On Tuesday night, Poilievre met with protesters at the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick border, whose vehicles were adorned with "F*ck Trudeau" flags, as part of a self-described "hold the line protest," according to multiple social media posts.
As seen in one post, which CTV News has not verified, the federal Conservative leader posed for photos and told those gathered to "keep it up." In another, Poilievre accused the prime minister of lying about "everything."
The protesters most recently have been demonstrating in opposition to the carbon tax, which Poilievre has been crossing the country vowing to "axe," while pressuring the government to alter its pollution pricing policy, through a range of procedural measures in Parliament.
But, as reported by the Broadbent Institute's Press Progress, members of the group have previously been affiliated with the "Freedom Convoy," which protested against government-mandated public health restrictions, as well as the far-right group Diagolon.
The prime minister said that Poilievre meeting with these protesters "really shows that he will do anything to win… And it only emphasizes that he has nothing to say to actually solve the problems that he's busy amplifying."
Asked for comment on the Conservative leader's recent roadside stop, Poilievre spokesperson Sebastian Skamski said that on the drive between events in Atlantic Canada, Poilievre "noticed an anti-carbon tax protest."
"As a vocal opponent of Justin Trudeau's punishing carbon tax, which has driven up the cost of groceries, gas, and heating, he made a brief, impromptu stop," Skamski said, adding that if Trudeau is concerned about extremism he should "look at parades on Canadian streets openly celebrating Hamas' slaughter of Jews on October 7th."
Trudeau has said the glorification of antisemitic violence and murder perpetrated by Hamas is "unconscionable" and has no place in Canada. Poilievre has also condemned remarks made at recent protests.
Trudeau on Alex Jones endorsement
Trudeau also took aim Wednesday at Poilievre for not denouncing American conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' recent endorsement of the Conservative leader as "saying the same things as me."
"Alex Jones is a proven liar and conspiracy theorist who has to pay hundreds of millions of dollars because he lied about the Sandy Hook killing... This is the kind of man who's saying Pierre Poilievre has the right ideas to bring the country towards the right," Trudeau said.
Responding to the call from the prime minister for Poilievre to condemn Jones, Poilievre's office said that unlike Trudeau, the Official Opposition is "not paying attention to what some American is saying."
"It is the endorsement of hard working, everyday Canadians that Conservatives are working to earn," Skamski said.
'Purposely trying to divide': Singh
Reacting to Poilievre's recorded remarks to the protesters, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh accused the Conservative leader of "purposely trying to divide Canadians."
"One of the things that I've seen again and again from Pierre Poilievre is something that really disappoints me in terms of leadership. Leaders should be someone that brings Canadians together. Leaders shouldn't be someone that is irresponsible with language, stokes division, that stokes hatred," Singh said.
"He is someone that's been endorsed by the likes of Alex Jones and Tucker Carlson."
'I trust Canadians': Trudeau
Asked what he'd say to the Canadians who agree with Poilievre and the rise in anger directed towards him, the prime minister said in a democracy people can express themselves and vote "however they choose."
But, he believes come campaign time, the electorate will "take a careful look" at who is presenting plans to solve the challenges at hand.
"I know Canadians are going to be very, very thoughtful about what kind of country we want to live in. What kind of choice are we making about the future we're building? Are we solving the challenges we're facing? Or, are we just exacerbating and amplifying them?" Trudeau said.
"I trust Canadians to be reasonable."
For months, the prime minister has been trailing Poilievre in the polls, and a new Leger poll suggests the Liberals have not persuaded voters with their latest budget.
"There's no question the political ice is cracking beneath the government's feet. Everyone understands that, everyone sees that. It doesn't mean that every single attack that the prime minister launches against Pierre Poilievre is insincere, and it doesn't mean that every question he poses ought not to be explored," said Scott Reid, CTV News political analyst, on Wednesday.
"There's a real strong sense in the Liberal camp that they've got to make a move, that they have to lay a glove... This trajectory will not end in re-election and they know that they have to change it."
He suggested in order for the Liberals to land this message about their main rival, the party is going to have to put serious dollars behind a political advertising campaign.
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.
Local Spotlight
NEW Oilers superfan hopeful Edmonton wins so he can get his massive Stanley Cup tattoo retouched
It's been a long time coming, but one Oilers superfan is hoping this will be the year he gets to touch up his massive Stanley Cup back tattoo.
WATCH Alta. man rescues wild foal trapped on steep cliffside
A man's daring rescue of a newborn wild foal that was trapped after falling down a steep embankment was caught on video over the weekend.
'Forgot how fun this was': Winnipeg man competing in World Pinball Championship
A Winnipeg pinball wizard is heading to the granddaddy of them all – the IFPA World Pinball Championship.
Ottawa U20 ultimate Frisbee players to represent Canada at world championships this summer
It’s the chance of a lifetime for a group of Ottawa athletes who are getting ready to represent Team Canada at the World Junior Ultimate championships in the United Kingdom.
140-year-old downtown Winnipeg church on brink of collapse
Parishioners at Holy Trinity Anglican Church are praying for a monetary miracle, as their historic place of worship could collapse at any moment.
'Inspires a sense of adventure': Sask. man conquers Mount Everest
A Saskatchewan man made it to the summit of Mount Everest earlier this month.
New gold mine in northern Ontario could become biggest in Canada
IAMGOLD’s Cote Gold open pit mine, located off Highway 144 between Timmins and Sudbury, had its official ribbon-cutting ceremony this week as production ramps up.
Pomp, circumstance, and Crocs: Barrie, Ont. couple's unforgettable day at Buckingham Palace
When one is extended an invitation to the Royal Garden Party in London, England, there's undoubtedly no shortage of pomp and circumstance. Barrie, Ont. natives Megan Kirk Chang and her husband Brandon experienced just that as they entered the prestigious event hosted at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.
Tim Meadows pledges not to shave until the Oilers win the cup, who are the team's other famous fans?
An unlikely celebrity emerged from social media to cheer on the Edmonton Oilers as they face the Dallas Stars tonight in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.