Election timing "unfortunate," Hurricane Hazel says
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Hurricane Hazel McCallion says it’s “unfortunate” that the Justin Trudeau government called an election during a pandemic.
“I don’t agree with that,” the former Mississauga mayor told reporters.
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“I think the government should be concentrated on the recovery and getting people back to work and getting the recovery, the economy, moving.”
McCallion, who turned 100 years old on Valentine’s Day, appeared with former prime minister Jean Chretien at an indoor Trudeau rally in Brampton Monday night to offer their endorsement of the Liberal Leader.
Chretien said he was surprised to hear the opposition leaders criticizing Trudeau for calling an election.
“Why? They wanted to keep Trudeau there for two more years,” Chretien quipped.
“Mr. O’Toole and Mr. Singh and the leader of the Bloc Quebecois, they seemed to be happy, they wanted to carry on with him. And I think that we have an election because it is traditional.”
History has shown that minority governments tend to call elections before their four-year mandate is up, including former Conservative governments, he said.
“He wanted to the Canadians to have a chance to speak,” Chretien said.
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After the 87-year-old Chretien spoke, Trudeau took the podium where he was surrounded by masked supporters.
Trudeau thanked Chretien for his words and his presence at the event.
“He was pointing out that it was about 70 years ago that he got involved in his first election campaign back in 1952 as a young volunteer,” Trudeau said.
The Liberal Leader has faced many questions about the timing of his election call, two years into his four-year mandate and at the beginning of a fourth wave of the pandemic.
McCallion, although critical of the timing, said she agrees that there needs to be a majority government in Ottawa to control the legislative agenda without risk of losing a confidence vote and triggering a election.
“So I hope that this time the Liberals will get a majority so then we can make them accountable,” she said. “There’s no excuses for them not being able to pass the legislation that is required to look after the people of Canada.”
Asked by a reporter to confirm that she wants a Liberal majority, McCallion said,
“I think if some people want the Liberals then I think it should be a majority not a minority because then the NDP runs the government.”
Polling has shown a tight race leading up to the Sept. 20 vote that could end in another minority government.
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