Poilievre condemned for use of YouTube tag targeting 'misogynistic' groups
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Liberals are accusing Pierre Poilievre of “using his videos to appeal to far-right misogynistic online movements," after it was revealed that Poilievre's YouTube channel was using a hidden tag to promote his videos among anti-women audiences.
"The choice made by the Conservative leader in reaching out to extremist online groups, into pulling in anti-women, misogynistic groups for his own political gain is one that he will have to answer for. I mean, women across this country want to know why he allowed this to happen and want to see him take responsibility for it," Trudeau said in the House of Commons on Thursday.
The tag first reported by Global News used to target these online audiences, "#mgtow"—an acronym for “men going their own way”—is a reference to an anti-feminist group of men who seek to separate themselves from women. It has been associated with the so-called "incel" or involuntary celibacy movement.
Reddit has banned the “r/MGTOW” community for violating its rule against promoting hate.
CTV News independently verified the past use of the “mgtow” tag embedded in code of videos on Poilievre’s YouTube page, using the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine. As Global News reported, after the tag's use was raised with Poilievre's office, it was removed from videos uploaded over the last few years.
Trudeau challenged Poilievre repeatedly to address the issue during question period—where the governing party is supposed to be the one facing questions.
"These are anti-women movements and they have devastating, real life consequences. Mr. Speaker, I call on the Conservative leader to stand in this House, take responsibility, and apologize," Trudeau said.
In response, Poilievre confirmed that he "corrected the problem as soon as it became known to me."
Poilievre said he condemns "all forms of misogyny" and "took responsibility," before pivoting to attack Trudeau over his past blackface scandal and the Jody Wilson-Raybould and SNC-Lavalin controversy, with the Conservative caucus cheering him on.
CALLS TO EXPLAIN, APOLOGIZE
Several MPs and ministers echoed Trudeau's condemnation on Thursday, calling for Poilievre to explain how the use of this tag was permitted, and who was responsible.
"It is very alarming to see a report where a political party, the Conservative Party of Canada, apparently has used some kind of a hashtag or coding that was not visible, to feed into incel echo chambers where you have overtly violent rhetoric towards women. It’s dangerous, it’s wrong, and it will be up to them to answer for it," said Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino.
Justice Minister David Lametti called it "beyond completely unacceptable," and "a real scandal." He said that everyone who supported Poilievre during the leadership race, or who is backing the party now should think about that.
"Linking your posts to a group that actively incites hatred… I am outraged. I think every woman in Canada, every person in Canada, should be outraged by this,” Lametti said.
Liberal MPs Jennifer O’Connell and Soraya Martinez Ferrada have called for Poilievre to denounce the actions of his team and take some responsibility, but are also calling on female Conservative MPs to stand up and denounce this.
"Mr. Poilievre purposely has been targeting and courting violent anti-women incel movements for his own political and personal gain… He is running to be—he claims—prime minister… And we call on him to act now," O'Connell said.
Conservative MP Raquel Dancho was asked by reporters on Parliament Hill who she thought should take responsibility for the tag.
She said: “I’m very proud of my leader for just coming right out and taking responsibility and immediately rectifying the situation. I think that shows real leadership and it’s about time that we had a leader in the House of Commons that did that,” while also accusing Trudeau of failing “to take responsibility over and over again for racist, sexist and misogynistic actions.”
Alain Rayes, an independent MP who left the Conservative Party just days after Poilievre’s win, called the situation “unacceptable.” Rayes said while he can believe that Poilievre did not use the tag himself, “he must fire the person who did immediately.” He said it was “the minimum expected from a leader.”
While some MPs are calling for there to be consequences, Poilievre has made no indication that he plans to take further action to address the matter.
With a file from CTVNews.ca’s Phil Hahn
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
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Local Spotlight
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Twin Alberta Ballet dancers retire after 15 years with company
Alberta Ballet's double-bill production of 'Der Wolf' and 'The Rite of Spring' marks not only its final show of the season, but the last production for twin sisters Alexandra and Jennifer Gibson.
B.C. mayor stripped of budget, barred from committees over Indigenous residential schools book
A British Columbia mayor has been censured by city council – stripping him of his travel and lobbying budgets and removing him from city committees – for allegedly distributing a book that questions the history of Indigenous residential schools in Canada.
Three Quebec men from same family father hundreds of children
Three men in Quebec from the same family have fathered more than 600 children.
Here's how one of Sask.'s largest power plants was knocked out for 73 days, and what it took to fix it
A group of SaskPower workers recently received special recognition at the legislature – for their efforts in repairing one of Saskatchewan's largest power plants after it was knocked offline for months following a serious flood last summer.
Quebec police officer anonymously donates kidney, changes schoolteacher's life
A police officer on Montreal's South Shore anonymously donated a kidney that wound up drastically changing the life of a schoolteacher living on dialysis.
Canada's oldest hat store still going strong after 90 years
Since 1932, Montreal's Henri Henri has been filled to the brim with every possible kind of hat, from newsboy caps to feathered fedoras.
Road closed in Oak Bay, B.C., so elephant seal can cross
Police in Oak Bay, B.C., had to close a stretch of road Sunday to help an elephant seal named Emerson get safely back into the water.