Trudeau Just Got Accused Of Hypocrisy For Failing To Stand Up To Donald Trump
Justin Trudeau was called-out by several Canadian politicians on Wednesday, after refusing to take a strong stance against recent actions from Donald Trump. Yves-François Blanchet said Trudeau “needs a spine,” while Jagmeet Singh accused him of hypocrisy. Both are calling on Trudeau to speak out against Trump, as anti-racism protests in the U.S. continue to escalate.
On June 2, Justin Trudeau made a statement in the House of Commons about racism in Canada, acknowledging his own “serious mistakes” as an ally, and referencing the “horrific reports of police violence against black men and women south of the border.”
Despite his speech, some Canadian politicians feel that the prime minister didn’t send a strong enough message about what’s happening in the U.S. right now, and specifically Donald Trump’s response to anti-racism demonstrators.
Speaking on June 3, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet said Trudeau "needs a spine," and shouldn’t be afraid to call out Trump’s controversial response to the country’s unrest.
Per CBC News, Blanchet accused the prime minister of being “more inclined” to call out racism in Canada, than to "accuse Donald Trump of being incendiary and provoking serious social tensions."
"Mr. Trudeau is much more inclined to accuse us collectively of all the vices," he said.
This was an opinion shared by NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, who accused the PM of “hypocrisy.”
After telling Trudeau that people in Canada were done with his “pretty speeches” about racism, Singh went on to ask why Trudeau urged Canadians to call out hatred if he won’t do it himself?
"The prime minister of Canada has to call out the hatred and racism happening just south of the border and if the prime minister can't do that how can everyday people be expected to stand up?" Singh asked on Wednesday.
"His silence reveals hypocrisy," he added.
On Tuesday, Trudeau was silent for 21 seconds when asked about the U.S. president’s response to the ongoing anti-racism protests, a move that drew a strong response from several Canadian MPs.
Winnipeg MP Leah Gazan tweeted, "Twenty seconds of silence? Trump is a fascist with ties to the KKK. Call his actions out Justin Trudeau and Chrystia Freeland."
"Trump is a fascist and a racist and he must be called out. Speak up," Northern Manitoba MP Niki Ashton added.
Speaking about the same issue on Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland praised Trudeau, adding that it was his job to be responsible for “what happens here in our own country."