The fact that Pierre Poilievre’s videos until recently included a hidden hashtag referring to misogynistic movements is “completely unbecoming” of a Canadian politician, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused.
“The Conservative leader deliberately used his videos to appeal to far-right misogynistic online movements. These are anti-women movements and they have had devastating consequences in real life,” he castigated Thursday during a particularly stormy question period.
Mr. Poilievre replied that he “condemned this organization” and “corrected the problem as soon as I was informed”.
He then went on the offensive, adding that he also condemns “all forms of misogyny, including when the Prime Minister fired the first-ever Indigenous Attorney General, when he abused young minority women in his own caucus who had to leave politics, and I condemn him for the time when he put on racist costumes so many times that he forgot them all.
The Global network revealed in the morning that Mr. Poilievre’s last 50 Youtube videos included the hidden hashtag #mgtow, an acronym for “Men Going Their Own Way”, which means “Men go their own way”. This coding helps promote the videos in the networks of this movement made up of anti-feminists who want to remove women from their lives.
As the tables were turned in the House of Commons and Prime Minister Trudeau asked the questions, he demanded to know like “women across the country” why Mr. Poilievre “allowed this to happen. produce”.
“He played too close to the line with extremists for too long. Now he got caught. Will he admit it? Will he apologize? Will he take responsibility? he said in an alleged response that was followed by a question from the Bloc leader.
In a statement to The Canadian Press, Mr. Poilievre’s office explained that the chief was “unaware of the existence of these embedded tags” that had been “implemented and automated” to accompany each video “over the course of last four and a half years”.
“The embedded tags were immediately removed as soon as his office became aware of them. It is evident that Mr. Poilievre condemns misogyny and all forms of hate online,” it read.
“I am outraged”
All day, elected Liberals tore their shirts off over this story.
The Minister of Justice, David Lametti, was in all his states at noon. “I am outraged, I am beside myself. Honestly, I have a little trouble now controlling my emotions, ”he said when he left the cabinet meeting.
“Deliberately linking the promotion of a political platform with incel groups […], it’s not only completely unacceptable in our country, it’s dangerous, he said. It is dangerous for women. These are the groups that are promoting hatred against women. »
Minutes earlier, Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino said he finds it “very concerning” that a political party has tried to “fuel incel echo chambers where you have openly violent rhetoric towards the women “.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, meanwhile, commented upon entering the meeting a little earlier as the news spread through the halls like wildfire.
“I am a feminist, a proud feminist. I am a mother,” she said straight away.
According to her, each person who has “the great privilege of being elected to this Parliament” must be “very clear” in recognizing that there is no real equality in the country and that women and girls, particularly those ethnic and religious minorities, face targeted dangers.