Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre took aim at Canada’s major TV networks Thursday, mocking them for what he called selective coverage of Liberal turmoil after one of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s own MPs publicly criticized the government’s latest budget.“I’m looking forward to seeing the wall-to-wall coverage,” Poilievre told reporters with a smirk. “When you have a Liberal MP attacking the costly credit card budget that Mr. Carney has put forward, I know there will be relentless coverage on CTV — reporters camped outside his office, chasing Mark Carney down the hallways for comment.”His comments came after Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith (Beaches–East York, Ont.), a former housing minister, released a YouTube video November 10 criticizing his party’s budget. “It does not live up to its promise,” Erskine-Smith said. “Expectations were set at a level we failed to meet, including on generational spending. It unfortunately falls well short of the wartime effort many of us thought we’d deliver.”.Poilievre told reporters he expected TV networks to give the story the same kind of “wall-to-wall” coverage they devote to internal Conservative matters. “I’ll be tuning in tonight to see the coverage of all the costly turmoil with the Liberal budget,” he said.The Opposition Leader also fielded questions about the recent defection of Nova Scotia MP Chris d’Entremont from the Conservative caucus to the Liberals. Asked whether it reflected on his leadership, Poilievre brushed it off. “No,” he said. “My plan is to continue leading the only party fighting for an affordable country where hard-working Canadians can afford a home and food.”He quoted d’Entremont’s own words from earlier this year, when the MP criticized Carney’s leadership: “After six months under a new Prime Minister who promised financial discipline, Canadians are still waiting. He said he’d be judged by the cost of groceries. Well, Canadians are judging him — and they’re not impressed.”.When a CBC reporter pressed Poilievre on d’Entremont’s remark that the Conservative caucus was being run “like a frat house,” the Tory leader shot back, “Are you with CBC?” When the reporter confirmed, Poilievre replied sharply: “CBC has had to correct the falsehoods they put into that story. I’d encourage you to tell Canadians about the falsehoods you published and explain why you did that.”The CBC had reported November 9 that d’Entremont was bullied by two Conservative MPs who allegedly barged into his office, pushed open a door, and yelled at him, calling him a “snake.” Conservatives disputed the account, saying the discussion was “calm and measured” and ended with a handshake.Poilievre maintained that his caucus is united and focused on affordability — and that the real story is Liberal disunity over a budget he says Canadians can’t afford.
