Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered a sunny message of progress and equality to Liberal constituents at the Liberal party鈥檚 Winnipeg convention on Saturday, but he couldn鈥檛 resist aiming a couple of jabs at his Conservative rivals.
The Conservative Party held its own convention in Vancouver to discuss a series of possible changes to the party鈥檚 policies including a from its definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman.
鈥淥ur Conservative friends are also meeting this weekend. They鈥檙e in Vancouver where, among other things, they鈥檙e debating the merits of marriage equality 鈥� in 2016. More than a decade after we made same-sex marriage legal in Canada,鈥� Trudeau said, drawing cheers from the crowd.
鈥淭en years from now, they might finally be willing to admit that climate change is real. Or realize that tax cuts for rich people don鈥檛 help the middle class. Or that government shouldn鈥檛 be allowed to legislate what women can wear on their heads.鈥�
But Trudeau tempered his criticisms with a message of gratitude to former Prime Minster Stephen Harper.
鈥淵ou see, there are only a handful of people alive who know what it鈥檚 like to do this job I have now. I am now one of those people. And I can tell you 鈥� even if you weren鈥檛 a fan of his politics, there can be no doubting Stephen Harper鈥檚 commitment to our country,鈥� Trudeau said.
Trudeau then asked the crowd to join him in thanking Harper 鈥渇or his many years of public service.鈥� People in the packed auditorium responded with a standing ovation.
The prime minister also offered thanks to Laureen Harper and the former prime minister鈥檚 children, Ben and Rachel, for 鈥渟tanding with鈥� Harper 鈥渢hrough thick and thin.鈥�
Former interim Liberal leader Bob Rae was caught on video pretending to gag during the Harper tribute. Rae stuck two fingers in his mouth and mockingly "gagged," while others in the crowd applauded.
And this is former Liberal leader 's reaction to PM Trudeau's tribute to former PM Stephen Harper
鈥� Chinta Puxley (@chintapuxley)
In a tweet late Saturday night, Rae apologized for the 鈥渢houghtless gesture鈥� during the tribute, calling it a 鈥渏oke in poor taste that I regret very much.鈥�
I apologise for that thoughtless gesture during PM's tribute to Mr Harper - a joke in poor taste that I regret very much.
鈥� Bob Rae (@BobRae48)
Rae was also honoured at the convention in a separate tribute.
With files from The Canadian Press
