Today's News: A Nelson moment for Canadian Press

via GIPHY

So Canadian Press did their research. 

As Poilievre launched into attacking Trudeau for giving Bell Media a $40 million fee reduction in spite of firing journalists across the country, the Canadian Press found out this reduction was actually a Conservative idea. 

Ha ha!

Conservative and NDP MPs backed a 2022 amendment to the Online Streaming Act, opposed by the governing Liberals, that allowed Canada’s private broadcasters to save about $120 million a year in regulatory fees.

Bell’s share of those savings was $40 million — the precise total of annual operating losses the broadcaster’s parent, BCE Inc., cited when it slashed 4,800 jobs last week.

But Poilievre is now blaming Justin Trudeau for those cuts, calling on the prime minister to claw back some of his government’s federal grants to media companies.

...The June 2022 motion, introduced by Conservative MP John Nater, passed with the support of New Democrat and Bloc Québécois MPs on the House of Commons heritage committee without debate.

The motion sought to amend the Liberals' update to broadcasting law, the Online Streaming Act, so that it would abolish certain licensing fees....

So, when @theJagmeetSingh and @PierrePoilievre claim @JustinTrudeau gave $40 million to @Bell, they're lying.

Why is Singh lying like Poilievre? https://t.co/Jv9rxXH3Um

— Stephen Best (@BestStephenD) February 13, 2024

Pay attention - this is Pierre Poilievre who wants to be Prime Minister of 🇨🇦! ⬇️ #DontAxeTheFacts #cdnpoli https://t.co/gKsf3WrZzw

— MP Ryan Turnbull 🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@TurnbullWhitby) February 13, 2024

Probably all Poillievre had to do is shut up and not be Trudeau to win the next election, but he can’t help but show us what a smarmy weasel he is every chance he gets. https://t.co/9lqc30gEUB

— Christopher Byrne 🇨🇦🇺🇦 (@CBinVAN) February 13, 2024

Mr. Poilievre, is your skin so thin that you need to demean a working woman doing her job, with your tediously pathetic partisanship? Jesus, Joseph and Mary, you're a disgrace to democracy! Can't imagine what a bush league bully you would be as CEO of the Government of Canada. https://t.co/EgbyyQbeXM

— Charles Adler (@charlesadler) February 12, 2024

As a Prime Minister, Poilievre would be a disaster. I think Canadian journalists are starting to appreciate this fact.

Poilievre is just a #MrRoboto. He can't think on his feet, he doesn't understand Canadian issues. When faced with a problem, his instinctive response is deny, denigrate, deflect, & blame the messenger. As a prime minister, he would be incoherent & his cabinet would be chaos.

— Cathie from Canada 🇨🇦 😷🏳️‍🌈 🇺🇦 🇮🇱 (@CathieCanada) February 12, 2024

This week's example -- Poilievre isn't going to be able to spend any more on NATO defenses than Trudeau does:

I’m “working toward” 19 inch biceps. https://t.co/DvqIcxrk9r

— Andrew Coyne 🇺🇦🇮🇱 (@acoyne) February 14, 2024