Liberals duck opposition questions on byelection losses

Revealed Sep 17, 2024 • Final up to date 6 minutes in the past • 1 minute learn

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland rises throughout query interval within the Home of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024. Picture by Sean Kilpatrick /The Canadian Press

OTTAWA — Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre wasted no time in grilling the federal government over their humiliating double byelection loss Monday night, beginning query interval off with a name to the still-flush-with-victory Bloc Quebecois to carry the federal government accountable.

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“Voters in Liberal strongholds in Toronto and Montreal have rendered their verdicts,” Poilievre stated in French, referring to Monday’s loss in LaSalle–Emard–Verdun to the Bloc Quebecois and June’s Conservative victory within the bellwether Liberal using of Toronto–St. Paul.

“How can the Bloc maintain this authorities in energy, when it’s so unhealthy for Quebec?”

In response, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland — filling in for the absent Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — ignored Poilievre’s feedback concerning the election catastrophe, opting as an alternative to take credit score for Tuesday morning’s inflation announcement.

“I’m so glad I’ve a chance to reply a query that has to do with the Canadian financial system,” she replied in French.

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“It offers me a chance as an alternative to have fun some excellent news that we acquired this morning.”

She described Tuesday morning’s information that inflation slowed to 2% in August, hitting Financial institution of Canada targets, receiving scores of applause from the Liberals and jeers from the opposition benches.

“It’s such excellent news for our nation, the Conservatives ought to be celebrating,” she exclaimed.

Calling Freeland an “incompetent finance minister,” Poilievre replied in English that he was certain homeless Canadians have been celebrating this morning’s central financial institution announcement and once more urged the Bloc to power the federal government into what he known as a “carbon tax election.”

In response, Freeland accused the Conservatives of truly being afraid of an upcoming election — seemingly satisfied that Tuesday morning’s inflation information would lead to a dramatic turnaround within the polls, which as of Tuesday confirmed assist for the minority Liberals persevering with to plummet.

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
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