Pierre Poilievre saying that the Mounties covered up for Justin Trudeau’s Liberals is very strong accusation. The Conservative leader made the accusation in an interview with Tanya and Ryan Davies on Northern Perspective.
It’s a long interview, you can watch the whole thing down below, but in a segment that starts at about the 27:30 mark, Poilievre starts talking about how Trudeau broke the law with his Aga Khan trip and with judicial interference with SNC-Lavalin, but the RCMP covered it up and wouldn’t lay changes.
“These would normally have led to criminal charges, but of course the RCMP covered it all up,” Poilievre said.
“The leadership of the RCMP is frankly just despicable when it comes to enforcing laws against the Liberal government.”
Now before people start freaking out, the RCMP did investigate both incidents and didn’t end up laying charges as detailed by CBC here. I think the Aga Khan trip isn’t worth criminal charges, but interfering in a criminal prosecution is serious.
Also, for all the Liberals freaking out that Poilievre is accusing the Mounties of being political, I’ve been hearing Liberals complain about the Mounties helping the Conservatives ever since the 2005-06 federal election.
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme pushed back on Poilievre’s comments.
“I don’t take any orders from any political individual,” he said.
Too bad for him that he said those words at a very political news conference for the Carney government where Duheme and many of his officers were being used at props by the party in power. It rings a little hollow when Duheme makes the comments in that setting.
Getting tough on crime…
The Carney Liberals unveiled their plan to get tough on crime Thursday in Toronto. As I wrote in my Toronto Sun column, it’s a good move and one that went further than I expected.
We’ll have to wait to see the details, but over all I’’m giving them good marks.
Some of the big moves:
Introducing reverse-onus bail for major crimes.
Allowing consecutive sentencing so multiple crimes mean longer time behind bars.
Imposing harsher penalties for organised retail theft.
Restricting conditional sentences for a number of sexual offences.
They also say they will hire 1,000 additional RCMP officers.
Give the column a read for more thoughts and details.
Stellantis offers some assurance on Brampton…
So far we don’t have video of Doug Ford crashing a Jeep or smashing one up with a baseball bat, but it could still be coming. Ford along with Carney and all kinds of political leaders are in full panic mode of the decision by Stellantis to have the Jeep Compass built in Illinois instead of Brampton.
To be clear, the Compass isn’t currently built there, it was just hoped they would build it there. At his tough on crime news conference this morning, Carney was asked about the company and as reported by Canadian Press, he said he had spoken with the president.
“I expressed disappointment on their decision,” said Carney.
He said the CEO, Antonio Filosa, gave him assurances they would provide support for the 3,000 workers affected at the Brampton plant, and that they would consider other vehicles for the plant.
“They’re looking at different models being produced in Brampton. That decision would be taken in the context of the finalization of the USMCA,” said Carney.
As I was writing yesterday, this plant has long been on the cusp of closing, it’s always been a tough one. Let’s hope they do find a new product and that they find one soon, a lot of jobs in parts are on the line as well.
This is why though we need to get a trade deal. For all of those saying it’s better not to deal with Trump or we don’t need to, this would prove you wrong.
Get a deal, we were close before, let’s get it over the finish line.
Visiting beautiful Quebec City…
I’m in Quebec City for a few days participating in the Banff Forum. It’s my first time at the event which alternates between Banff and cities across the country.
It’s Chatham House Rules, so I can’t tell you what people say but I will be able to share some interesting stories of what happens outside of the sessions.
Interesting group of people here, I speak Saturday afternoon as part of panel on Canada-U.S. relations and trade.
Should be fun.
Pardon the scepticism, but I've been listening to Liberal promises and word salads for more than a decade now. Not much integrity or flavour there.
As mentioned on another platform, I'll be watching for the pigs to fly before I attempt to venture out into this new, safe and crime-free Canada.
Brian Lilley you know I trust your judgement pretty much. But clearly the Mounties covered up for Trudeau so this isn’t “ bashing the RCMP” although clearly they deserve it. And of course Carbey announce for what ? The fourth time ? That they are hiring 1000 more law enforcement. The last liberal taradiddle it was law enforcement for the border. It didn’t happen.
All we get from Carney is lies and deceit. .