People walk past a truck bearing a flag calling for Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre to become Prime Minister, during the “Freedom Convoy†protest, in Ottawa, on Feb. 16, 2022. Poilievre says he stands by his support of the convoy, but will wait until a public inquiry on the matter is over before weighing in on evidence. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
OTTAWA – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he stands by his support of the “Freedom Convoy,” but will wait until a public inquiry on the matter is over before weighing in on what it has heard.
Poilievre was among the many members of the Tory caucus who voiced support for demonstrators who descended on downtown Ottawa last winter, protesting against COVID-19 mandates and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government.
At the time, Poilievre was a high-profile member of Parliament for the party who, before protesters arrived, said he believed the individual actions of bad actors should be judged separately from those who were taking to the streets to voice concerns about their freedom.
The demonstration coincided with the start of the party’s leadership contest, during which Poilievre voiced his support for those who refused to get vaccinated.
The protest ultimately ended once police moved in to dismantle blockades around Parliament Hill in mid-February, which happened after the federal government triggered the Emergencies Act.
Poilievre told reporters in Vancouver he will wait until a public inquiry examining the invocation of the act is complete to say what he thinks of the evidence it has heard.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2022.
