Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre arrives at a press conference in Montreal, Friday, July 12, 2024. The Liberals are labelling Poilievre "weird" in a new line of attack borrowed from the U.S. Democrats. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
OTTAWA – The Liberals are labelling federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre “weird” in a new line of attack borrowed from the United States Democrats.
Several Liberal MPs, including one cabinet minister, have used the word to describe Poilievre on social media in recent days.
Even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has joined in, saying Poilievre needs to “touch grass,” or reconnect with reality, after the Opposition leader accused him of admiring communist dictatorships.
The tactic is apparently inspired by politics south of the border, where Vice-President Kamala Harris and other Democrats have been using “weird” to describe former president Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance.
The insult seems to have gotten under Trump’s skin – in an interview Thursday he insisted he and Vance are “not weird people.”
Canada’s Conservatives have also responded to the dig, claiming Trudeau is a “weirdo prime minister with weirdo policies.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 4, 2024.
