Trudeau says 'anger and disinformation' fueling Canadian Conservatives after Poilievre win

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the Conservative Party was going down a path of "anger and disinformation" after electing longtime Carleton MP Pierre Poilievre as its leader, saying that the opposition was using the amplification of fear for short-term political gain.

Trudeau made the comments after a cabinet retreat in New Brunswick, where some members of his Liberal caucus told Radio-Canada that Poilievre's win left some hoping that the governing party would become "less woke" and return to being a "centre right" party.



The prime minister was asked whether Poilievre's victory would change his decision to remain as party leader into the next election, currently slated for 2025.

Trudeau said that he believed there has been a "rise of various forms of populism based on anger and misinformation and disinformation all around the world, in many democracies."

"We've had many conversations with my fellow leaders in the G7 and in other contexts around the pressures that democracies are facing, some external pressures, but the pressures put on us like Russia or China or others, many of them internal with people who are frustrated and scared about where the world's going, worried about their place within it," said Trudeau.

Trudeau said that politicians had the choice of allaying fears and "empower people and show them how we're going to build a better future or do you amplify those fears for short-term political gain?"

"It's the kind of conversations we had in the 2015 election and it looks like it might be the kind of conversations were going to have to have again with the conservatives choosing a path of amplification of anger and misinformation instead of actually figuring out how to respond to the real threat of climate change, how to respond to the real threat of making sure everyone is included in the economy we're creating. That's the discussion that not just politicians, but all Canadians need to be engaged in in the coming years, and I for one am very excited to be able to lead those conversations with this team behind me."

It's the second time in just a few days that the prime minister has gone on the offensive against Poilievre. Just two days after Poilievre's victory, the prime minister gave a backhanded congratulations to Poilievre, after saying that the Liberals would be committed to calling out "questionable, reckless economic ideas."

"We all need to work together. Now is not the time for politicians to exploit fears and to pit people one against the other. As you all know, the Conservative Party picked a new leader over the weekend. I want to congratulate Mr. Poilievre on becoming the leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition," said Trudeau. "We've been making every effort to work with all Parliamentarians, and we will continue to do so."

"This doesn't mean that we're not going to be calling out highly questionable, reckless economic ideas. What Canadians need is responsible leadership. Buzzwords, dog whistles and careless attacks don’t add up to a plan for Canadians. Attacking the institutions that make our society fair, safe and free is not responsible leadership. Telling people they can opt out of inflation by investing their savings in volatile cryptocurrencies is not responsible leadership."