OTTAWA — A political storm erupted in Parliament today as the Liberals, Greens, and NDP united in demanding Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre apologize for his recent comments accusing the RCMP of shielding former prime minister Justin Trudeau from criminal charges.
During a YouTube interview released last week, Poilievre described the RCMP’s leadership as “despicable,” alleging the force covered up wrongdoing in connection with the 2016 Aga Khan scandal, when Trudeau accepted a vacation from the billionaire philanthropist who had business ties to the federal government. Poilievre claimed Trudeau “would be in jail if not for the RCMP.”
In the House of Commons, Government House Leader Steven MacKinnon condemned the remarks, saying they undermined public trust in Canada’s institutions. “Such comments call into question the independence of both the judiciary and the RCMP,” he said, urging Poilievre to withdraw and apologize.
Green Party Leader Elizabeth May also weighed in, rejecting Poilievre’s claims outright. “There was no Criminal Code offence involved,” May said, calling his comments “irresponsible and corrosive to democratic confidence.”
Despite repeated calls for an apology, Poilievre refused to retract his statements. His office later issued a clarification saying his criticism was directed at former RCMP commissioner Brenda Lucki, not the entire police force.
The controversy has reignited debate over political attacks on law enforcement and the limits of parliamentary rhetoric, with government MPs accusing Poilievre of crossing a line at a time when public trust in institutions remains fragile.