It was a heated day in Canada’s House of Commons when elected Speaker Greg Fergus ejected Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre from the chamber on April 30. Fergus removed Poilievre after he repeatedly refused to withdraw his remark that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was pushing “wacko” drug policies.

That day Conservative MP Rachael Thomas posted on the social media site X in support of her boss.

“Drug use in parks, hospitals and public spaces is whacko. Drug deaths are up by 380 per cent in B.C. Pierre Poilievre called out Trudeau for his dangerous drug policies today in the House of Commons,” Thomas wrote. “How did partisan hack Greg Fergus respond?! He kicked Pierre Poilievre out of the chamber.”

THE CLAIM: Drug deaths are up by 380 per cent in B.C. The Tyee is supported by readers like you Join us and grow independent media in Canada

Thomas’s 380 per cent increase compares the number of B.C. drug deaths in 2015 with the 2023 total.

FACT CHECK: Over a similar period, drug deaths are up by 198 per cent in Alberta.*

What Thomas neglected to mention is that overdose deaths have risen by 588 per cent in her home riding of Lethbridge, Alberta, over a similar period (2016 compared with 2023).

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[–] girlfreddy@lemmy.ca 13 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Conservative politicians lie and obfuscate because they wouldn't know the truth if it slapped them in the face.

(On another note fuck Trudeau for running again, essentially guaranteeing that Canada will have a fucking Con gov't ... all because of his hubris.)

[–] Evkob@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 years ago

On another note fuck Trudeau for running again, essentially guaranteeing that Canada will have a fucking Con gov't

I definitely don't disagree with you here, but on the other hand, I don't imagine the Liberals pushing a candidate that wouldn't just bring them even further right of centre...

[–] karlhungus@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Based on the summary it sound like they didn't lie, just didn't point out their own inability to deal with it in their own ridings

[–] girlfreddy@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 years ago

When a partial truth vs the whole truth is told it's still a lie.