Canada PM Justin Trudeau dukes it out with Tory rival over climate, election timing
OTTAWA: Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday d ..The incumbent PM Justin Trudeau was targeted by his rivals including Erin O'Toole over the government's evacuation efforts in Afghanistan and its position on China.
Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole (left) and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau during the federal election French-language leaders debate in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada on Wednesday. Justin Trudeau faced attacks over Ottawa's evacuation efforts in Afghanistan and its position on China. (AFP)
Foreign policy made its presence felt in the first official debate of the 2021 Canadian Federal elections as incumbent Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faced attacks over Ottawa's evacuation efforts in Afghanistan and its position on China.
The French-language debate on Wednesday also witnessed Conservative Party leader Erin O'Toole currently leading in surveys, assert a government led by his party will impose sanctions upon Chinese officials complicit in human rights violations in the Xinjiang province.
Justin Trudeau came under criticism from each of the other party leaders over calling an election on August 15 just as the crisis in Kabul was developing.Erin O'Toole said that Canadian veterans of the country's mission in Afghanistan had asked the government "months ago" for an action plan for evacuation of interpreters and other Afghans who had worked with Canadian units. "He ignored the problem and called an election," Erin O'Toole said.
Green Party leader Annamie Paul said her party had called for an emergency debate on Afghanistan in parliament but that never happened as Federal polls were declared.
Justin Trudeau defended his government's actions, saying it had acted "quickly" and evacuated 3,700 from Afghanistan and will continue to "be there" for those who were associated with the Canadian mission.
China also figured in the debate, particularly in the context of the Uighur "genocide" in the Xinjiang province.
Erin O'Toole promised that Magnitsky sanctions would be imposed upon Chinese officials found complicit in such human rights violations. Those sanctions, also enshrined in Canadian law, are named after Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky who was murdered in that country.
