Two top Liberal party staffers planted buttons with messages that mimic slogans of President Donald Trump at a Canada Strong and Free Network (CSFN) Conference in Ottawa last week.
The staffers admitted the dirty trick to CBC reporter Kate McKenna. They “regrettably got carried away,” they said.
The state broadcaster called it a "Liberal campaign-sanctioned false flag operation."
Liberals have made repeated attempts to paint Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre as a Trump-style politician — despite Poilievre denouncing the comparison. Even Trump has separated himself from the Tory leader, saying it would be easier to deal with a Liberal prime minister.
The buttons boast slogans like, “Make Canada Great Again,” “Lock Justin Up,” “Stop the Steal,” “There is No Climate Crisis,” “A Vote for Carney is a Vote for WEXIT,” and “Danielle Smith for CPC Leader 2026.”
Another button has the name of the Tories’ national campaign director Jenni Byrne crossed out and replaced with Ontario Premier Doug Ford strategist and federal Conservative party critic Kory Teneycke.
The buttons were scattered in the various rooms of the Westin hotel where the conference was being held, as though they were from a Conservative campaign — however, Liberal staffers bragged about their mission at a nearby bar over the weekend.
The CBC reported the idea came from the Liberal war room. McKenna joined a Liberal staffer at D'Arcy McGee's for a drink, where the story was revealed by another staffer who was known to be involved in opposition research.
He described how he and another staffer planted the buttons — despite knowing he was sitting beside a journalist.
When confronted, the Liberal staffer confirmed his actions. However, when the reporter said she would write a story on the operation, he then denied saying anything.
Carney was asked about the operation at a press conference Monday morning, where he apologized and said he had no knowledge of it.
"This is totally unacceptable to be absolutely clear. And I on behalf of my campaign, I was unaware of this behavior," said Carney.
"But on behalf of my campaign, I apologize for it unreserved."
"I've made it made it absolutely clear to my campaign that this behavior or anything approximating it, or in that in that spirit, is unacceptable and cannot happen again."
CSFN spokesperson Alex Spence told the outlet it’s “unfortunate, but not surprising that the Liberals would seek to misrepresent the views of attendees of our conference.”
"These divisive, gimmicky tactics say more about the Liberals than they do of the united and growing Conservative movement,” said Spence.
Conservative Party of Canada spokesperson Sam Lilly said, "Despite their public claims, it's clear that it's the Liberals who are attempting to bring American-style politics to our country.”
"One wonders what other dirty tricks the Liberals are behind as they desperately seek to distract from their disastrous record while seeking a fourth Liberal term,” he said.
Neither of the Liberal staffers were fired, but Carney said they were reassigned.
