Nothing is likely to shore up Conservative esprit de corps like the sight of Patty Hajdu rising in the House of Commons and accusing the Official Opposition of being “against Canada.” The jobs minister, who has held cabinet positions for over a decade despite several high-profile inaccuracies, made the remark during question period on Monday, drawing immediate condemnation from Conservative MPs and a rebuke from Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia.
A History of Controversial Statements
Hajdu has repeatedly stated supposed facts with absolute confidence that later proved inaccurate. As status of women minister from 2015 to 2017, she pre-judged the inquiry into murdered and missing Indigenous women, asserting that racism and sexism were embedded in institutions and that gender-based violence was “endemic” due to colonialism. In 2018, as employment minister, she oversaw the Summer Jobs program requiring applicants to affirm support for reproductive rights and transgender rights—a move critics called an infringement on freedom of expression.
Conservative Co-Deputy Leader's Accusation
Conservative co-deputy leader Melissa Lantsman had earlier accused the Carney Liberals of doubling the deficit and “sending the bill to Canadian kitchen tables … doubling the Food Bank lineups and doubling the rent.” She said the same characters from the Trudeau era are “sitting in the same seats, saying the same things.” Hajdu’s response—claiming Conservatives are “against Canada and Canadians”—only reinforced Lantsman’s point.
Carney's National Unity Government
Meanwhile, suggestions have emerged that Mark Carney has forged a kind of “national unity government” attracting MPs from both the Conservatives and NDP. The latest floor-crosser, Marilyn Gladu, said she wanted to join Carney’s Build Canada agenda. However, Monday’s exchange served as a stark reminder that this government’s foundations are built on the progressive wedge politics of the Justin Trudeau era.
Hajdu’s combative style, rooted in an unshakeable belief in progressive social spending and political correctness, has rarely promoted unity. Her refusal to back down during the Summer Jobs controversy created “an enormous bubble of frustration” in the country, according to Liberal MPs at the time. Now, her latest gaffe appears to be boosting Tory unity, as Conservatives rally against what they see as divisive rhetoric from a minister with a track record of missteps.
