Trudeau crushing Freedom Convoy while letting pro-Hamas protestors ravage streets “a very strange irony”: Poilievre

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre blasted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for allowing pro-Hamas protests to spiral out of control nationwide, noting the protests are “far more violent” than the...

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Author: Isaac Lamoureux

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre blasted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for allowing pro-Hamas protests to spiral out of control nationwide, noting the protests are “far more violent” than the Freedom Convoy — when Trudeau suspended the civil liberties of Canadians for parking their trucks outside of Parliament Hill.

The comments come from a lengthy interview between Poilievre and Candice Malcolm, co-founder of the new Juno News, which made its debut this week.

Poilievre said that the many Canadians who showed up on Parliament Hill as part of the convoy just wanted their jobs back and were likely spending time there because they couldn’t go back to work due to government mandates.

“I think if the prime minister had gone out and talked to them, I actually think most of them would have just gone on with their lives,” said Poilievre. “But I think it was a very divisive and unfortunate approach that he took: name-calling, denouncing them, and treating them like they were not Canadians.”

Trudeau called the convoy a “small fringe minority” with “unacceptable views.” Trudeau also called the unvaccinated a series of names, while asking whether they should be tolerated.

“They are extremists who don’t believe in science; they’re often misogynists, also often racists. It’s a small group that muscles in, and we have to make a choice in terms of leaders, in terms of the country. Do we tolerate these people?” said Trudeau.

Poilievre said the convoy could serve as a reminder for all prime ministers: even when they disagree with a protest, they should remember that those protesting are Canadians — who Poilievre said have the right to express themselves and who deserve dignity and respect.

However, Poilievre termed the nationwide pro-Hamas protests ravaging Canadian streets as a “very strange irony.”

“I look at the Hamas riots that we’re seeing in our streets — far more violent. We’re seeing firebombings and bullets going into Jewish schools, and I think to myself: it was supposedly a national emergency worthy of suspending civil liberties that there were trucks parked in front of the Parliament building, but it’s not an emergency when bullets are flying into children’s schools or synagogues are being firebombed,” said Poilievre.

Poilievre previously pledged to deport temporary residents involved in violent or hate crimes. During his interview with True North, he took it one step further.

“I don’t think anyone here on a temporary visa of any kind who is caught breaking our laws should be allowed to stay. It’s that simple. Any laws, other than a parking ticket,” said Poilievre. “If you come to Canada and you’re caught selling and you’re not a citizen or permanent resident, you’re selling drugs, you’re doing violence, you’re doing a fraud, a car theft, you got to go.”

Poilievre said there is no excuse for keeping anyone in the country who is a visitor on a temporary visa or permit if they are breaking Canada’s laws.