Ukrainians cast warning to Tories

Trio of MPs told at Etobicoke town hall that Poilievre’s silence on issue will cost party at polls

- STEPHANIE LEVITZ

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s approach to Ukraine will cost the party support among Ukrainians unless things change, a trio of MPs were warned at a recent town hall.

At a Feb. 25 town hall in Etobicoke, the MPs — James Bezan, Tom Kmiec and Shuvaloy Majumdar — were confronted by criticism Poilievre is missing in action on the Ukraine file and that when he does show up, he only delivers partisan talking points.

Meanwhile, the party’s continued use of the word Nazi to describe a Ukrainian soldier honoured in Parliament last year is disparaging the entire Ukrainian community, MPs heard.

An audio recording of a portion of the event was obtained by the Star, and independently verified.

“You’re alienating the Ukrainian support, absolutely, no doubt about it,” said one man, who described himself as “definitely conservative.”

“And I know that today you are explaining, and as you know, when you’re explaining, you’re not winning.”

The town hall, held in an Etobicoke church, was advertised in a Ukrainian newspaper. It came after the Conservatives voted against a renewed free trade deal with Ukraine because it contained language supportive of carbon pricing, which the party rejects. This was despite the fact Ukraine already has a price on carbon and had agreed to the deal with Canada.

Meanwhile, a new poll by Angus Reid recently suggested those who vote Conservative are becoming more likely than other Canadians to think Canada is giving too much support to Ukraine.

Both the free trade bill and the poll came up at the town hall.

The messaging on free trade was “awful,” said one participant, and all people saw was Poilievre being an “angry little man” jumping up and down about the carbon tax.