Trudeau defends Liberals’ O’Toole tweet after Twitter flagged it as ‘manipulated media’ – National | Globalnews.ca

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau is trying to paint Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole as an advocate for private health care, despite a tweet from his deputy prime minister about it being labelled as “manipulated media.”

Twitter flagged the tweet from Chrystia Freeland, who is seeking re-election in the Toronto riding of University-Rosedale, after she posted spliced-together clips of O’Toole answering a question about private, for-profit options in universal health coverage.

He says yes, and that he wants to find public-private synergies.

When asked today about the warning, Trudeau noted that the Liberals also posted the video of the entire interview, and he says all Canadians should take a look.

The Tories are asking Elections Canada to investigate the tweet as a violation of the Canada Elections Act, saying the Liberals have intentionally altered the original video to make it materially misrepresent the position of the Conservative party.

Trudeau is promising today that a re-elected Liberal government will spend billions in the coming years to hire family doctors

The Canadian Medical Association estimates about five million Canadians don’t have a primary care physician, or family health-care team, which has spillover effects into other parts of the health-care system.

2:33Misinformation spread during the pandemic

Among those trickle-down effects is people going to emergency departments, already stretched by the COVID-19 pandemic, for issues a family doctor could manage.

Trudeau says the Liberals would spend $3 billion over four years starting in 2022 to hire 7,500 family doctors, as well as tax and student loan incentives for health professionals who set up shop in rural or remote communities.

He is also pledging an extra $6 billion to wrestle with wait lists.

The Liberal leader has made a point of talking about vaccinations at the start of the second week of the campaign, which sees him hitting Liberal-held ridings in Atlantic Canada.

Trudeau spoke Sunday to crowds in New Brunswick and P.E.I. about the need to get a shot, and his government’s pledge to require public workers, as well as air and rail travellers, to be fully vaccinated, looking to use it as a wedge issue against the Conservatives.

Trudeau’s minister in charge of getting vaccines for the country is suggesting that companies should consider following suit if they haven’t done so already.

Anita Anand also says while individuals have a right to make decisions about their personal health and safety, there is also the need to protect the collective health and safety of Canadians.