Rob Oliphant, Liberal MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the minister of foreign affairs, rolled his eyes when Conservative candidate Yvonne Robertson mentioned the two Michaels, who have been trapped in China for over 1,000 days.
On Monday, federal candidates for the Don Valley West riding met via Zoom to share their platforms and take questions.
Conservative candidate Yvonne Robertson used the event as an opportunity to call out the Liberals, suggesting that "Justin Trudeau has failed Canadians on so many levels." She quickly shifted the focus of her attack from Trudeau to her Liberal competitor and current MP of Don Valley West, Rob Oliphant.
"The minister of foreign affairs has a parliamentary secretary and his name is Rob Oliphant," she began. "He is the number two gentleman on the file, and not once tonight did he mention Michael Kovrig or Michael Spavor, who have been detained for 1,008 days" in China. Robertson went on to claim that "weak leadership" is eroding citizens' confidence in Global Affairs Canada as well as the country's image abroad.
In the video, Oliphant can clearly be seen rolling his eyes when Robertson brings up the Two Michaels.
The issue of the two Michaels has largely sat on the sidelines during the lead up to the 2021 federal election. Spavor was convicted of espionage by a Chinese court and sentenced to 11 years in prison, while Korvig continues to languish in a Chinese jail cell, his fate uncertain.
Erin O'Toole and the Conservatives have been critical of the Liberal government's handling of the situation, while during the leadership debates, Trudeau appeared to suggest it was Stephen Harper who had not done enough.
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