This article is part of the Reality Check series by Canada's National Observer. Have a question for us? Reach out at [email protected].
Claim: The Liberal campaign planted buttons at a Conservative event
Verdict: True
At an Ottawa bar last week, CBC reporter Kate McKenna overheard a liberal staffer talking about planting buttons at the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference.
One button said “Stop the Steal” on it — a reference to Donald Trump’s false accusations that the 2020 US election was illegitimate.
Another had the name Jenni Byrne — the Conservative national campaign director — crossed out, with the name Kory Teneycke written underneath. Teneycke is a Conservative strategist who ran Doug Ford’s campaign in Ontario. He’s been critical of the Federal Conservative party’s campaign.
Mark Carney was asked about the buttons, and the staffers who planted them, during a campaign stop in Montreal this week.
Carney called the action “totally unacceptable.” He says he was unaware of the plan, but still apologized “unreservedly” on behalf of the campaign.
He also said the people responsible for the buttons were “reassigned” within the campaign.
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