!['Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters](https://www.ctvnews.ca/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/4/24/trudeau--poilievre-1-6860110-1713975915652.jpg)
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
CTV
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming "the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists," after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
"Every politician has to make choices about what kind of leader they want to be," Trudeau said Wednesday while promoting his budget. "Are they the kind of leader that is going to exacerbate divisions, fear, and polarization in our country? Make personal attacks and welcome the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists?"
"Because that's exactly what Pierre Poilievre continues to do," Trudeau said, while suggesting that his main opponent has yet to present a plan to lead that goes beyond exploiting Canadians' fears.
The prime minister was responding to media questions about remarks Poilievre made at a recent appearance in Atlantic Canada.
On Tuesday night, Poilievre met with protesters at the Nova Scotia-New Brunswick border, whose vehicles were adorned with "F*ck Trudeau" flags, as part of a self-described "hold the line protest," according to multiple social media posts.
As seen in one post, which CTV News has not verified, the federal Conservative leader posed for photos and told those gathered to "keep it up." In another, Poilievre accused the prime minister of lying about "everything."
The protesters most recently have been demonstrating in opposition to the carbon tax, which Poilievre has been crossing the country vowing to "axe," while pressuring the government to alter its pollution pricing policy, through a range of procedural measures in Parliament.