Don't paint me with your broad strokes

My take? He knew someone was coming to his Liberal rally who was bound to disrupt it. He was ready. The RCMP and all those security-types know the activities of groups with questionable motivations. Trudeau was told that someone would probably heckle, and true to form, he had a script and he stuck to it.

Below is the transcript posted at CBC of the exchange between Justin Trudeau and a woman who has now been identified as member of a nationalist group that advocates against immigration.

As you read it, bear in mind two things: First, Trudeau has made no claim to have known who she was when he responded, and second, this was a Liberal event. He says so part way through.

 

My comments are in italics.

DIANE BLAIN: When will you give back the $146 million to Quebec? I'd like your response. I'm a senior, and I'd like a response.

JUSTIN TRUDEAU: Madam, thank you for being here this evening, thank you very much for your support. I'm very happy to have you here. You ask what we can deliver for seniors. Madam, we delivered an increase in the guaranteed income supplement of $1,000 per month, by $1,000 per year, for seniors on their own, the most vulnerable.

He responds, calmly -- addresses an issue pertinent to seniors. Okay.

MALE HECKLER (repeatedly): We are not in Mohawk territory.

BLAIN: That's not what I asked you. We need the $146 million for Quebecers.

TRUDEAU: We invested billions of dollars for the Canada Child Benefit, which makes an enormous difference in the lives of families around the province and the country.

She says nothing controversial. He responds again, perfectly rational politician's response.

BLAIN: We're asking you for the $146 million for Quebecers that you gave to illegal immigrants.

TRUDEAU: Madam, one of the things that is important, madam, in politics is to listen. My friends, it is listening that counts. We are in dialogue.

MALE HECKLER (repeatedly): We are not in Mohawk territory.

BLAIN: But you are not answering me.

TRUDEAU: Sir, you are in the course of saying things that are anti-Indigenous, it isn't very nice, it isn't very polite.

BLAIN: Answer me.

TRUDEAU: We are here to share, to dialogue, I am looking forward to listening to you.

BLAIN: Answer me, Mr. Trudeau.

TRUDEAU: On the condition that you listen to me now, madam. You have something to say, madam? Go ahead.

BLAIN: Answer me, I want to know when you will give us back the $146 million that we paid for your illegal immigrants.

TRUDEAU: OK, madam.

He has no answer.

BLAIN: It's us who paid for that.

TRUDEAU: This intolerance regarding immigrants does not have a place in Canada. This intolerance of diversity, you do not have a place here.

BAM! this is where Trudeau skews what the woman said and pretends to infer racism. Nothing in what she asked implies she's anti-immigration. Without knowing ahead of time her predisposition towards immigrants, Trudeau has imputed meaning to her words. At this moment, she is simply a citizen, asking a legitimate question about taxation and spending - albeit about illegal immigration, but that in and of itself does not suggest the questioner is racist.

Liberals are framing this as though anyone who*sides* with this woman is aligned with the Storm Alliance. The fact that she was calling out negatively at a Liberal rally shows she was not a friendly, but at this point, as far as we know, Trudeau had no reason to believe she was anything other than a person questioning his policies -- but she had said nothing racist, nothing nationalistic -- nothing controversial. And yet Trudeau took that question to call her intolerant of both immigrants and diversity -- all she'd asked about was how this money was being spent and when Quebec would get it back.

Either he deliberately twisted her words thinking no one else could or would hear, or he knew who she was, and couldn't be sure she would say something racist, so he prematurely censured her for something he hoped she'd say.

(Cheering)

BLAIN: Hey. Trudeau. Trudeau.

TRUDEAU: Madam, Canada was built by waves of immigration that were welcomed by the First Nations, who showed us how to build a strong society, and the people who come here, generation after generation to build stronger communities, this is what makes us stronger as a country and, madam, your intolerance does not have a place here.

Again, she hasn't said a word about race, or immigrants, only illegal immigrants and even then, only to question the cost. He uses this opportunity to make up shit about the founding of our country, and pretend that she has said something that would require him to say this.

MAN OFF CAMERA: Yes, she's making threats. Get her out of here.

She's right by the microphone the whole time. We can hear her voice whenever she speaks. She made no threat. She said nothing beyond Trudeau's name. She has no purse, no backpack – nothing in her hands. She’s bare armed – nothing threatening about her at all.

MAN IN WHITE SHIRT, BLACK VEST: Are you making threats?

 TRUDEAU: We are Liberals here, we know that diversity is a source of strength, never a source of weakness and madam, your fear, your fear of others, your intolerance does not have a place among us tonight. Thank you very much, my friends. Thank you for being here, thanks for working hard and uniting people because we see that there will be intolerance in the coming months. There will be attacks in the coming months.

This is the first I realized it was a Liberal rally, and that the people around her were all going to be antagonistic obviously. But he stokes it. He says she has *fear, fear of others* and uses this as an opportunity to tell his fans that Canadians (ordinary Canadians, because at this moment, that's all this woman is) will be *intolerant* and *attacking* as he suggests this woman is.

BLAIN: I have another question.

TRUDEAU: But you must know that strength is to unite and not to scream, not to spread fear, not to spread intolerance, madam.

The woman is calling out-- she is making herself heard from her place in the crowd. Her voice is never harsh or shrill. She is not screaming, and she has not said one negative word about immigrants. She only mentioned *illegal immigrants* and she never said anything hostile -- no call to send them back-- no suggestion that we don't want them here -- not one negative word about people -- every question is just about the cost.

BLAIN (repeatedly): Are you tolerant of Québécois de souche [white French Quebecers]? ***UPDATE -  see Gabby in QC, in the comments section re that translation***

So finally, after being called intolerant three times, after having been accused of spreading fear and making threats, after having been told that people like her would be attacking Liberals in coming months --- THEN she finally asked if he was tolerant of HER. Poor choice of words, incendiary in Quebec I suppose, but after provocation, she finally asks -- do you respect my kind of people? If I had been there, asking the same questions, I might have said - do you tolerate those of us who are Canadian-born, or second generation, or simply non-immigrants. That phrase, Québécois de souche - might have been a clue to her agenda, but it came far enough into the exchange that it was definitely NOT the precipitant of his accusations of intolerance.

I put the rest of the exchange below (I cut it off when she is taken for questioning - you can go to the link if you want to read that part), and for those who continue read the last of it between Blain and Trudeau, you will see she begins to use the terminology of the alt-right. I left it in so there would be no suggestion that I was leaving it out purposely to cloud the truth about her eventual attitude.

I have no time for the alt-right and its racism or nationalism, but Liberals are using this woman's affiliations to shut down the conversation on the rest of us. Apparently anyone who agrees with her is *siding* with her and her ilk and therefore, tacitly supporting her cause. Bullshit. These questions are legitimate and they've been asked by many Canadians since the surge in numbers at the illegal crossings. These questions MUST be asked, and when Mr. Trudeau finally figures out what it means to be a leader and make real policy decisions instead of spouting platitudes, maybe he'll find a way to answer them.

Until then, Justin Trudeau and your band of merry sycophants -- do not attempt to paint us racist or intolerant with your vicious and divisive tongues.

canadianna


****

Continuation of exchange between Blain & Trudeau:

MALE HECKLER (repeatedly): We are not in Mohawk territory.

TRUDEAU: Yes madam, I am tolerant of all perspectives, it is you, madam, who is intolerant, and you don't have a place in this beautiful gathering of Liberals. Thank you, friends.

(Cheering. Trudeau descends from stage and begins shaking hands with people in the crowd.)

BLAIN: Have you spread intolerance towards Québécois de souche?

PERSON IN CROWD: [Swearing] Shut up, damn it.

BLAIN: Go ahead and give your hand to this Trudeau.

WOMAN IN CROWD: No, but it's enough, really.

(Crosstalk)

WOMAN IN CROWD: She's going in there.

(Blain approaches Trudeau.)

BLAIN: Mr. Trudeau are you tolerant of Québécois de souche?

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What is a Québécois de souche?

Québécois de souche refers to descendants of the original French colonists who settled in New France in the 17th and 18th centuries. It excludes Quebecers of non-French heritage, such as descendants of British colonists, recent immigrants and Indigenous peoples.

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TRUDEAU (repeated three times): Madam, your racism has no place here.

BLAIN: Answer me. You have no place in Quebec. Do you understand? You have no place in Quebec.

TRUDEAU: Excuse me, madam. I'm a proud Quebecer, madam, I'm a proud Quebecer.

(Shaking hands)

TRUDEAU: Thank you, it's lovely to see you.

(Trudeau continues shaking hands, cameraman leaves crowd and joins Blain who is being questioned.)

END – continued on CBC website