Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said his conservative political rival abandoned Ukraine because of “MAGA-influenced thinking.”
On Tuesday, all 109 conservative lawmakers in the country blocked updated legislation for the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement.
In response, Trudeau launched a blistering attack on Friday, saying the US MAGA movement and hard-right politics were eroding support for Ukraine in Canada.
“To see the Conservative Party of Canada decide not to support Ukraine with something they need, with the absurd excuse that it is because Ukraine is going to put a price on pollution, is ridiculous,” Trudeau said.
“The real story is the rise of right-wing, American MAGA influence thinking that has caused Canadian Conservatives, who used to be among Ukraine’s strongest defenders, to turn their backs on something that Ukraine needs in this time of need. ‘
From left to right, European Council President Charles Michel, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European Commission President Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen hold a press conference in St. John’s Newfoundland on Friday
Trudeau also said that politicians in the US, Europe and Canada who do not support Ukraine are “beginning to parrot Russian disinformation, disinformation and propaganda.”
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who is leading in all polls, said his party did not support the proposal because it would force Ukraine to introduce a carbon tax.
The trade bill includes language that the two countries will “promote” carbon pricing and mitigation, but contains no provisions enforcing such a plan.
On Thursday, Poilievre insisted he supported Ukraine and a free trade deal, but “voted against Justin Trudeau forcing a carbon tax into that pre-existing deal.”
Trudeau also said Friday: “All Canadians should be concerned if the Conservative Party of Canada and Pierre Poilievre turn their backs on history.
“Turn your back on our friends and allies, turn your back on the international rules-based order and our support for the UN Charter on Territorial Integrity.”
On Friday, a spokesperson for Poilievre did not respond to Reuters’ question about whether the leader took his cues from Trump.
Canada has the second-largest Ukrainian expat community after Russia, and the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress said in a statement it was disappointed that the Conservatives voted against the trade deal.
Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, responds to the autumn economic statement in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada, November 21, 2023.
Former president and presidential Republican candidate Donald Trump waves to his supporters in Kissimmee, Florida, USA, November 4, 2023
Poilievre would topple Trudeau and likely win a majority if elections were held today, opinion polls show. One of Poilievre’s main promises is to abolish Canada’s carbon tax if elected.
Poilievre says prices have heightened concerns about the cost of living amid high inflation.
Trump, who is seeking re-election in 2024 and is the leading candidate for his party’s presidential nomination, has been sharply critical of US support for Kiev and has said he could end the war within 24 hours if re-elected.
A relatively small but vocal group of Republicans has been criticizing aid to Ukraine for months, accusing Kiev of not adequately combating corruption, which Ukrainian and U.S. officials deny.
This isn’t the first time Trudeau has blamed the American right wing for Canada’s problems, having previously said they had weaponized LGBTQ rights.
Trudeau had spoken to parents at a mosque in Calgary after hundreds of Muslim parents gathered in Ottawa in June to protest LGBTQ education in schools.
Trudeau told the crowd that “people on social media, especially fueled by the American right wing” were fueling the protests.
Binnish Mustafa, a mother from Maryland, said she was offended that Trudeau blamed their fears on right-wing misinformation
In America, however, at least one group of Muslim parents told Fox they were offended by Trudeau’s comments.
“I take a lot of offense to what he said,” Binnish Mustafa, mother of a seven-year-old child with special needs. “This is something that has really affected us here in Montgomery County.”
She said Trudeau was ignorant of the reality in American schools, saying he “really needs to go into the public school classroom and sit there and watch the discussions that follow certain class books being discussed.”
Another parent, Kareem Monib, told Fox he felt Trudeau was ill-informed about what was happening in American schools and was simply parroting what his fellow Liberals said in defense of a “woke” curriculum.
“It’s shocking that Trudeau is using the same foolish arguments as in the United States,” he said.