Trudeau accuses Conservatives of bowing to ‘pro-Russian narrative’ as fight over Ukraine deal returns

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OTTAWA – Liberals and Conservatives sharpened their assault traces as MPs are resuming debate on laws to modernize the Canada-Ukraine free commerce deal on Friday.  Conservatives have been on the defensive over their opposition to updating the deal, which they are saying is as a result of it mentions a carbon tax, however which Liberals have used to painting the Tories as smooth on Russia.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau went on the offensive once more on Wednesday, accusing Conservative chief Pierre Poilievre of “forcing his caucus members to show their backs on Ukraine” by voting towards the commerce deal and of bowing “to the pro-Russian narrative.”

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“I do know the chief is not going to change his thoughts, however Ukrainian-Canadians throughout the Prairies are hoping that not less than some courageous Conservative MPs will do the correct factor, and vote with their conscience and their ideas,” stated Trudeau with a little bit of a smirk.

Poilievre stated Liberals are attempting to vary the channel on their failures in authorities and accused Trudeau of getting a “pro-Russia vitality coverage,” referring to Canada’s incapability to supply vitality to assist its European allies wean away from Russian oil and fuel.

“On this, like all the things else, he’s a pretend and he’s a phony,” stated Poilievre, incomes himself a cautionary warning from Home of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus over his language.

In November, Conservatives voted unanimously towards C-57, a invoice to implement a brand new free commerce settlement between Canada and Ukraine, in second studying as a result of it commits each international locations to “promote carbon pricing and measures to mitigate carbon leakage dangers.”

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On the time, Poilievre justified the transfer by saying that the Liberals have been making an attempt to impose their “carbon tax ideology” on a rustic at battle. Ukraine nevertheless has had a carbon tax in place since 2011, which it must sometime be a part of the European Union.

Former Conservative chief Erin O’Toole wrote in his Substack he was “dissatisfied” to see his social gathering “take the bait on this political wedge” by the Liberals.

“I perceive that the following election is gearing as much as be a referendum on the carbon tax, nevertheless it might have been potential to criticize the empty symbolism of the invoice and its language on carbon pricing in debate whereas nonetheless voting for it ultimately,” wrote O’Toole, who resigned his seat final 12 months.

“I can perceive the explanation for not disrupting the narrative of the following election, however when a pal is at battle exhibiting steadfast solidarity ought to take precedence.”

Former Conservative cupboard minister and MP Peter Kent additionally criticized the transfer on X (previously Twitter) in December, saying that partisan politics had trumped “principled unity and assist for a valiant democracy.”

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MPs are set to vote on C-57 in third studying after the tip of Friday’s debate. Conservatives are once more anticipated to vote solidly towards the invoice. On Thursday, Trudeau requested Poilievre why he’s “muzzling” a few of his MPs.

“We’re 100-per-cent united in our assist of Ukraine and in our opposition to the carbon tax,” shot again Poilievre. “It’s no surprise that he would need to use worry and falsehoods to distract from his many failures, and that’s precisely what he’s doing.”

Trudeau has additionally been asking Poilievre to apologize for having referred to Ukraine as a “faraway international land” throughout query interval final 12 months.

Liberals have been evaluating his phrases to these of former British prime minister Neville Chamberlain, who in 1938 infamously described Germany’s invasion of Czechoslovakia as a “quarrel in a faraway nation between folks of whom we all know nothing.”

In response, Poilievre accused Trudeau of solely desirous to distract “from his failures at dwelling.”

The Conservatives have been on the defensive on the file of Ukraine for just a few weeks for voting towards the commerce deal but additionally voting towards a joint army coaching program and different assist for Ukraine through the 30-hour marathon vote, which they prompted on the finish of final session.

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On the time, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress criticized the Conservatives for his or her votes and accused them of undermining assist for Ukraine. Conservative Home chief Andrew Scheer stated his social gathering was voting towards the Liberals’ total financial plan.

This week, Scheer issued a “clarification” after his social gathering was accused of refusing to offer unanimous consent to an NDP movement calling on the discharge of anti-Putin activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, serving a 25-year sentence in Russia as a result of he criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

Scheer cited a “second of confusion within the Home” which he stated led to each Conservative and Liberal MPs “inadvertently” not offering their consent to undertake the movement, “misunderstanding what the content material of the movement was.”

The NDP moved their movement a second time, and it handed with the assist of all MPs.

“Conservatives will at all times stand in assist of freedom and human rights all over the world and we reiterate our condemnation of Vladimir Putin, his unlawful battle of aggression towards Ukraine and his repression of courageous Russians who communicate out towards his regime,” stated Scheer.

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