E-Paper
Trudeau admonished in House after accusing opposition party for supporting swastikas
The heated exchange occurred in the House of Commons amid rising criticism of administration’s handling of a protest against Covid restrictions that is roiling the country
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was admonished by the Speaker of Canada’s House of Commons on Wednesday for using inflammatory language after he accused the main opposition party for standing with people “who wave swastikas”, referring to some protesters seen at the anti-Covid demonstration carrying flags featuring the Nazi symbol.
Responding to a question from Jewish MP Melissa Lantsman from the Conservative Party, Trudeau said that Conservatives could “stand with people who wave swastikas, they can stand with people who wave the Confederate flag. We will choose to stand with Canadians who deserve to be able to get to their jobs, to be able to get their lives back”.
Amid a chorus of applause from his own Liberal Party MPs and boos from the Opposition, Speaker Anthony Rota said, “I just want to remind the honourable members including the right honourable Prime Minister to use words that are not inflammatory in the House.”
The exchange was part of a heated debate during Question Period in the House over the ongoing truckers’ protest against Covid mandates and other restrictions. Lanstman later tweeted, “I think the Prime Minister should think long and hard about his own history before singling out a Jewish Member of Parliament and falsely accusing me of standing with a Swastika. What a disgraceful statement unbecoming of anyone in public office - he owes me an apology.”
The swastika was seen on some flags in the initial days of the agitation in Ottawa.
The temperature over the so-called Freedom Convoy protest could rise even further in the days ahead as the ruling party tabled the legislation for emergency powers that needs Parliamentary sanction. While the invocation of the Emergencies Act on Monday by Trudeau meant powers associated with it went into effect immediately, it needs to be ratified within seven weeks or will no longer apply.
Two major opposition parties, the Conservatives and the Bloc Quebecois have said they will oppose its imposition. As Trudeau heads a minority government, he will require support from the New Democratic Party to secure its passage and its leader Jagmeet Singh has appeared amenable, but said they could oppose the legislation if it appeared to be an overreach of government authority.
According to the outlet Global News, the government released a letter to the country’s provincial and territorial premiers Wednesday evening in which Trudeau described the protest as an “activity that is a threat to our democracy and that is undermining the public’s trust in our institutions”.
Two premiers, Jason Kenney of Alberta and Scott Moe of Saskatchewan joined 16 governors of American states to call on Trudeau and US President Joe Biden to “immediately reinstate vaccine and quarantine exemptions available to cross border truck drivers”.
