Conservatives take aim at opponents ahead of Parliament break, potential election

OTTAWA – Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole used his party’s final caucus meeting of the spring sitting to deliver a campaign-style speech, heavily attacking his opponents.

The House of Commons breaks for the summer Wednesday, and party leaders have been laying down the framework for a potential election campaign in the months ahead.

“Let’s secure a future for all Canadians,” O’Toole said.

He believes Canadians only have two choices.

“Canada’s Conservatives on one side, and the Liberal, NDP, Green, Bloc Quebecois coalition on the other,” O’Toole said. “It’s only the Conservatives who are asking these tough questions. It isn’t the NDP, the Greens, or the Bloc Quebecois. In fact, they help Justin Trudeau cover up his scandals and corruption.”

In addition to talking about goals of an economic recovery, restoring trust in the military, and bringing leadership to government, O’Toole also laid out his vision for a renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples.

But then, he also criticizes those who want to cancel Canada Day.

“There is a difference between legitimate criticism and always tearing down the country,” he said.

Calls have grown in many parts of the country to cancel Canada Day celebrations in the wake of the discovery of children’s remains at a former residential school site in Kamloops. The discovery has prompted a national reckoning with Canada’s past and continued treatment of Indigenous people.

The Liberals have accused Parliament of becoming toxic to their minority agenda while the Opposition Conservatives say Canada’s institutions are broken under the Trudeau government.


Related articles:


The prime minister and his ministers have called the Tories out, claiming they are using procedural delay tactics to stop votes from happening on outstanding pieces of legislation.

Speculation has been growing over a potential summer or fall election, as the Trudeau government has framed Parliament recently as being dysfunctional. Bills, like the federal budget, have been pushed to the final day for a vote after many delays.

One bill that did clear a legislative hurdle Tuesday was the government’s proposed ban on the widely condemned practice of trying to change someone’s LGBTQ identity to heterosexual, which the Liberals reintroduced last fall after proroguing Parliament over the summer.

The conversion therapy ban passed the House in a 263-63 split, with only Conservative MPs along with former party member and Independent MP Derek Sloan voting against. The bill still requires Senate approval and Royal Assent before becoming law.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today