Leaders spar as Parliament returns

Fate of newly vulnerable minority Liberal government is tied to Bloc, NDP support

- ALEX BALLINGALL

One of the first things many MPs saw when they returned to Parliament Hill on Monday was a large, flapping “F--k Trudeau” flag.

As if they needed a reminder about the mood in Canadian politics.

The flag, one of several, was raised at the familiar anti-establishment demonstration that is often stationed on the sidewalk in front of West Block, where parliamentarians pass on their way to the House of Commons. But the regular protest was larger Monday, totalling perhaps about two dozen people, and boosted by the presence of those who drove to the capital from places like Toronto and Chatham, Ont.

Some sported hats that read “Defund the Politicians” and denounced the Liberal government’s online harms legislation. Others demanded to know the names of MPs alleged to have co-operated with foreign powers, with one hollering “Arrest the traitors!” through a megaphone. Still more waved placards with slogans like “No Immigration” and “Free Coutts” — the latter a reference to the so-called “Freedom Convoy” blockade in Alberta that saw two men recently sentenced to more than six years in jail for mischief and possession of firearms.

It was a sure sign that The Show was back in town — this time with the added drama of two significant byelections on Monday and a newly vulnerable Liberal minority government that could fall within the coming weeks.