Leading up to Canada's federal election in October, Andrew Scheer has contrasted his childhood with Justin Trudeau's. Scheer has talked about how his family struggled with money, while Justin Trudeau grew up the son of a former Prime Minister and inherited a million dollars from his father. Despite Andrew Scheer's net worth being fairly high, he still alludes to his family's financial struggles. After a Liberal MP tweeted with the hashtag #ScheerWasSoPoorThat, Andrew Scheer took to Twitter himself and said he grew up "middle class." Liberal MP Gagan Sikand wrote, "#ScheerWasSoPoorThat he had to buy his conservative values second-hand from Stephen Harper." The tweet has since been deleted, but Scheer posted a screenshot of the tweet and replied, "Like millions of Canadians, I grew up middle class. When Trudeau’s Liberal MPs mock me for that, they mock you too." Like millions of Canadians, I grew up middle class. When Trudeau’s Liberal MPs mock me for that, they mock you too. pic.twitter.com/D5aCiA9tOm— Andrew Scheer (@AndrewScheer) September 9, 2019 It has been previously reported that Scheer's father, who worked for the Ottawa Citizen, could have been earning nearly $66,000 a year by the time of his retirement. His mother could have also been earning $55,000 a year as an experienced Registered Nurse. While Trudeau grew up in a prominent political family, Scheer's own family easily earned more than the median income for Canadian families, which StatsCan found was $70,336 in 2015. Twitter users responded both positively and negatively to Andrew Scheer's tweet. There were a number of users who appeared to support Scheer's statement and criticize the Liberals. Got to love the delusion liberal supporters on this thread. Laugh at the guy who knows what it's like to grow up in a family that struggled and back a corrupt trust fund man child that doesn't have a clue. SMH.— Ms. Donna (@DCTFTW) September 9, 2019 This shows the true face of Justyn"s ELITIST Liberal MPs caught on Twitter making FUN OF POOR PEOPLE !!Look, a LPC LAWYER MP making fun of Andrew Scheer for growing up poor, how disgusting!!!#NotAsAdvertised #cdnpoli #cdnpoli— 🍁 MOTHY 🍁🇨🇦 (@Cdn_Catechist) September 10, 2019 Yup...leave it to @gagansikand to make fun of someone's upbringing. How mature of someone who is supposed to represent ALL peoples of his riding..... rich, poor, middle class.Perhaps the voters will have a say about his stupidity in October.The apology is where?????????— Joseph Carter - Sorry NOT a Bot!!!!!!! (@TorontoCarter) September 9, 2019 I grew up poor and I find its patently offensive....this is doing things differently, absolutely unacceptable....and this gang of liberals mock Trump.....— c taylor (@TaylorCtaylor67) September 9, 2019 It’s a badge of honour to the hard working Canadians who built this country we wear it with pride— Son Of Icarus (@icarus_son) September 9, 2019 Harper has more class in one toe than the entire toxic team Trudeau. We could certainly use a lot more of Harpers values in this now broken ,divided country thanks to the LPC.— Freddybear62 (@freddybear62) September 9, 2019 On the other side, there were a number of Twitter users calling out Andrew Scheer for claiming to be middle class during the 80s when he lived in a relatively comfortable financial situation. Some of the people who replied shared their own experience growing up in the 80s middle class to contrast Scheer's experience. They’re not mocking you for being “middle class” ($120K in the 80’s being a rather generous claim of that title, but I digress...), they’re mocking you for downplaying how incredibly lucky you were.Your family income was 6x higher than the “trust fund” you mock Trudeau for.— Kevin 🇨🇦 (@Frankenstein68) September 9, 2019 Both of my parents worked full time in the '80s in career jobs that COMBINED didn't total $120,000/year and we were the very definition of "middle class." Scheer's lame attempts to seem relatable are more of an insult than what he's trying to say about the Liberals...— David M. Kool 🍁 (@CallMeDaveOkay) September 10, 2019 No Andy, we are mocking you for thinking someone being raised in a home earning $120,000 a year back in the 80's trying to say they where poor, or even middle income. That kind of income to many TODAY would be a God send, that is how out of touch you are.— GrumpyGrannie (@grumpy_grannie) September 9, 2019 My family of 5 survived on about 35k a year thru the entire decade of the 80's andy don't you dare preach to me about middle class— Ron Young (@RonYoung666) September 9, 2019 Based on inflation rate of 2.59%, the $120k his family made is the same as making $286k today.$286k is not middle class— Hazard (@PhotoHazard) September 10, 2019 $60k/yr each in the 80’s was middle class??? Geez, I wish my family made middle class wages like that back them. You realize that’s way above today’s average salaries right???— Michael Painchaud (@mikepainchaud) September 10, 2019 We can add humour to the list of many other things you don’t understand. They’re not mocking the middle class, but your insincere attempts to relate to the middle class while lamenting your family’s $120k income. I’d kill to have grown up in the “squalor” you did.— Dead Sea Squirrel (@the_ns) September 10, 2019 The Canadian federal election will take place on Oct. 21. Andrew Scheer will be taking part in the Maclean's/CityTV and Munk debates, to be held on Sept. 12 and Oct. 1, respectively. There are stories everywhere. If you spot a newsworthy event in your city, send us a message, photo, or video @NarcityCanada on Twitter and Instagram.
