Poilievre demands Trudeau Liberals be held accountable for baseless authorization of Emergencies Act

Pierre Poilievre went toe to toe with Trudeau on Wednesday, demanding that the prime minister hold Liberal Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino accountable for misleading Canadians about the use of the Emergencies Act in February.

The Conservative MP and prime-ministerial hopeful slammed Mendicino for "stating falsehoods," and asked why the minister was allowed to remain in Trudeau's cabinet.

"Not once, not twice, but thirteen times did this public safety minister claim the police told him to suspend people's civil liberties with the Emergencies Act," Poilievre began.

"Not only did the cops say that's not true, but yesterday, two of his fellow ministers, including the deputy prime minister said it's not true, and today, the prime minister refused to say that his public safety minister had acted honourably.

"If his fellow ministers don't think he is honourable and truthful, why is he still in cabinet?" Poilievre asked.

Trudeau sidestepped the question, choosing instead to accuse Freedom Convoy protestors of disrupting people's lives. He then defended the use of the Emergencies Act, saying it was enacted to "keep Canadians safe."

"This is a prime minister who disrupted the lives of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of people because of a personal medical decision," Poilievre hit back.

"Everything this government has been saying about our truckers has been false from the very beginning, starting with the claim that they would spread a virus even though they're in a truck all alone all day long, and ending with the recent claim that the police had asked for the Emergencies Act.

"Now that the government has admitted that the public safety minister stated falsehoods," Poilievre pressed, "will the prime minister do the honourable thing and fire him?"

Trudeau responded with a platitude-laden attack on Poilievre, failing once again to comment directly on the matter at hand.