Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and newly elected Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre both met with their respective caucuses on Monday, and both had a few choice words for each other.
Poilievre challenged Trudeau to refrain from raising taxes and Trudeau criticized what he called Poilievre鈥檚 use of dogwhistles and divisive rhetoric.
It鈥檚 been two days since Poilievre sailed to victory on the first ballot to become the leader of the Conservative party. He met with the Conservative national caucus Monday morning, including MPs and senators, to deliver his inaugural speech as party leader.
Trudeau is currently in New Brunswick for a three-day retreat with the Liberal caucus ahead of the House of Commons resuming its sitting next week.
BUZZWORDS, DOGWHISTLES AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP
Speaking at the retreat, Trudeau first congratulated Poilievre on his victory before making pointed comments about Poilievre鈥檚 economic views.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been making every effort to work with all parliamentarians, and we will continue to do so,鈥� he said Monday. 鈥淏ut this doesn鈥檛 mean that we鈥檙e not going to be calling out highly questionable, reckless economic ideas. What Canadians need is responsible leadership.鈥�
He mentioned that Poilievre once championed cryptocurrency, which has seen huge market losses over the past year, as a way for Canadians to avoid inflation.
鈥淭elling people they can 鈥榦pt out of inflation鈥� by investing their savings in volatile crytocurrencies is not responsible leadership,鈥� Trudeau said.
鈥淲hen Conservative politicians say we should fight inflation with more pollution, this team will remind them that climate change is real, and that real people are affected by the floods and wildfires that it aggravates.鈥�
Trudeau also decried Poilievre鈥檚 鈥渂uzzwords, dogwhistles and careless attacks,鈥� stating that the Conservative鈥檚 leaders methods 鈥渄on鈥檛 add up to a plan for Canadians.鈥�
鈥淎ttacking the institutions that make our society fair, safe and free is not responsible leadership. Fighting against vaccines that saved millions of lives? That鈥檚 not responsible leadership. Opposing the support and investments that have helped save jobs, businesses and families during the pandemic? That鈥檚 not responsible leadership.鈥�
He also staunchly rejected Poilievre鈥檚 framing of government spending, saying 鈥渋t was the smart thing to do."
鈥淚 heard Mr. Poilievre talking about how much we wasted on Canadians over the past couple of years. Let me be very clear. Being there for workers, for families, for seniors, for young people, for businesses 鈥� it was the right thing to do.鈥�
NO COMPROMISE, NO NEW TAX INCREASES
After entering the room to huge applause, Poilievre delivered his first speech as party leader.
"Canadians are hurting and it is our job to transform that hurt into hope, and that is my mission,鈥� he said.
He had similarly withering words for Trudeau, listing a variety of tax increases as well as the national carbon price, which he says will lead to 鈥渉igher grocery prices鈥� and a greater burden on Canadians.
He said he was 鈥渋ssuing a challenge to Justin Trudeau today."
鈥淚f you really understand the suffering of Canadians, Mr. Prime Minister, if you understand that people can鈥檛 gas their cars, feed their families or afford homes for themselves, if you really care, commit today that there will be no new tax increases on workers and on seniors. None.鈥�
He criticized plans to increase the national carbon price, stating that it 鈥渄id not work.鈥�
Towards the end of his speech, he reiterated his rejection of tax increases, reframing his comments as 鈥渢o the Prime Minister, and to his radical, woke coalition with the NDP."
鈥淗ere鈥檚 my commitment,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e as Conservatives are always happy to work with any party to collaborate and extend and advance the interests of Canadians. We are. But there will be no compromise on this point: Conservatives will not support any new tax increases, and we will fight tooth and nail to stop the coalition from introducing any.鈥�
