Liberal House leader calls Poilievre a 'fraudster' and a 'bully' as Commons returns

Liberal House Leader Karina Gould began the fall session of Parliament on Monday by labeling Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as a "fraudster" and a "bully," accusing him of harboring a hidden agenda that Canadians would disapprove of.

"What I heard yesterday from Mr. Poilievre was so extreme, so irresponsible, so immature, it’s something only a fraudster would do," Gould said in Ottawa.

She claimed Poilievre’s criticism of carbon pricing is a tactic to "distract Canadians from his real agenda … because he knows they won’t like it if they find out."

Gould’s remarks were in response to Poilievre’s Sunday speech, where he warned that increasing the carbon price would lead to economic devastation, describing it as a "nuclear winter" for the economy.

"There would be widespread hunger and malnutrition with a tax this high … Our seniors would be forced to keep their homes at 14 or 13 degrees just to survive the winter," Poilievre had stated. "Inflation would skyrocket, and people would be unable to leave their homes or drive anywhere."

Gould argued that the financial difficulties Canadians are already experiencing would worsen under a Poilievre government, which she claimed would cut benefits for seniors and families.

She also accused Poilievre of bullying reporters and promising to defund the CBC amid "incredible disinformation." According to Gould, Poilievre reacts "like a bully" when challenged by journalists, refusing to face scrutiny.

Return of a 'Normal' Minority Parliament

Gould also addressed the recent end of the Liberal-NDP governance agreement. On September 4, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh announced that his party would no longer uphold the agreement with the Liberals.

The deal, originally struck in March 2022, had committed the NDP to support the Liberal government on confidence votes in exchange for legislative action on NDP priorities.

"I understand that the end of the supply and confidence agreement changes things slightly, but it essentially brings us back to a normal minority Parliament," Gould explained.

She noted that the Liberal government will now work with other parties on a case-by-case basis to pass legislation.

MPs are set to debate Bill C-71, which introduces changes to Canada’s citizenship laws to address unconstitutional legislation related to "lost Canadians." Justice Jasmine Akbarali has given the Liberal government until December to rectify parts of the bill, which aims to reverse changes made by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s government in 2009. Harper’s reforms prevented some Canadians born abroad from passing citizenship to their children also born abroad.

Gould also highlighted the importance of making progress on Bill C-66, which would amend the National Defence Act to align the military justice system with recent changes to the civilian court system. These changes include removing the power of military police and the military justice system to investigate and prosecute sexual offenses on Canadian soil.

A Four-Way Political Standoff

Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet signaled his party's willingness to collaborate with the Liberal government, provided the legislation benefits Quebec. However, he expressed doubt about the longevity of the current Parliament.

"We are playing chicken with four cars," Blanchet said on Monday. "Eventually, one will hit another, and there will be a wreck. I’m not sure this session will last very long."

Blanchet added that in exchange for the Bloc’s cooperation, he hopes the Liberal government will support several Bloc-backed private members’ bills, including:

• Bill C-319, which would increase pensions by 10 percent for those aged 64 to 74 to match the boost provided to those 75 and older.
• Bill C-282, which seeks to protect Canada’s supply management system.
• Bill C-367, which proposes amending the Criminal Code to remove religious exemptions for hate speech.