Previously, O’Toole had criticized the Liberal government for focusing on foreign aid during the pandemic.
In what appears to be yet another rhetorical reversal by Erin O’Toole, the Conservative leader has shifted from criticizing the Liberals for focusing on foreign aid, to now criticizing them for not spending enough.
In a virtual town hall with Cooperation Canada, O’Toole mentions how the Liberals are ‘falling short’ on foreign aid spending, and criticizes the government for the drop in foreign aid as a percentage of GDP.
Does O’Toole plan to increase foreign aid spending?
Looking at O’Toole’s remarks, he is certainly giving the impression that he intends to increase foreign aid spending.
Of course, O’Toole’s new position on aid spending is quite a change from the rhetorical approach he took when seeking the CPC leadership:
“Foreign aid can wait. Right now, the Trudeau government should prioritize Canadians.”
Foreign aid can wait. Right now, the Trudeau government should prioritize Canadians. pic.twitter.com/eZMuhlWJdC
— Erin O'Toole (@erinotoole) March 20, 2020
I guess the wait is over?
O’Toole backing himself into a corner
The more rhetorical shifts O’Toole makes, the more he is backing himself, and by extension the CPC, into a corner.
He faces the prospect of going into the next election talking about how the deficit is too big while planning to give more taxpayers dollars to foreign countries, while slamming the Liberals for spending too much in Canada, but planning not to cut anything, while saying he’ll cut emissions faster than the Liberals without a carbon tax.
That would be a tough sell even with a extremely charismatic leader, and given O’Toole’s recent poll numbers he seems unlikely to fit into that category.
While politics certainly entails some strategic moves, O’Toole’s extremely rapid reversal from his CPC leadership race personality is simply too dramatic to go unnoticed.
Spencer Fernando
Photo – YouTube
