The Canadian Conservative Party has decided to “turn their backs” on Ukraine, according to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who cited dark, mysterious elements driving “right-wing rhetoric in the United States with MAGA conservatives” for the opposition party pushing back against his left-wing policies.
Trudeau turned on the Conservatives after the group unanimously voted against an update to the Canada Ukraine Free Trade Agreement between Canada and the embattled east European state.
“I’ve actually boasted . . . that it’s not a political debate in Canada, all parties in Canada stand with Ukraine,” Trudeau said at a press conference Friday, Fox News reported.
“So it is particularly troubling to see — even though we are seeing a rise of right-wing rhetoric in the United States with MAGA conservatives, across Europe, in certain corners of right-wing politicians and parties — starting to pull their support for Ukraine. Starting to parrot Russian disinformation and misinformation and propaganda.”
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre earlier explained his party had voted against the agreement not because of flagging support for Ukraine, but out of concern it would saddle the war-torn country with a carbon tax.
Trudeau said that explanation was “an absurd excuse.”
“The real story is the rise of a right-wing, American MAGA-influenced thinking that has made Canadian Conservatives — who used to be among the strongest defenders of Ukraine, I’ll admit it — turn their backs on something Ukraine needs in its hour of need,” Trudeau said.
WATCH: “You F*cking Tyrant!”: Protesters SWARM Canada’s Justin Trudeau
Harrison Faulkner, True North via Storyful“That is the danger of the rise of the right-wing influence that is feeling its impact in Canada. That’s what not just Ukrainian Canadians but all Canadians should be concerned about,” he further despaired.
“When the Conservative Party of Canada and Pierre Poilievre turn their backs on history, turn their backs on our friends and allies, turn their backs on the international rules-based order and our support for the UN Charter and territorial Integrity, it is of real concern and should be of concern to all of us, because we’re seeing that spiking up all around the world.”
Poilievre maintained his party was only voting against the agreement because conservatives understood how disastrous carbon taxes can be.
The Fox News report outlines the trade agreement includes a section committing both parties to coordinate “bilaterally and in international forums to address matters of mutual interest, as appropriate, to . . . promote carbon pricing and measures to mitigate carbon leakage risks.”
Ukraine has had a carbon tax since 2011, and it is in the process of modifying the tax as it seeks to gain membership in the E.U..
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.