It took Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre one word to shut down a frantic rant by NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo falsely accusing him of “courting incels” and wanting to ban abortion.
During an unrelated discussion of Bill C-69 In the House of Commons on Tuesday, Port Moody—Coquitlam’s NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo accused the Conservative leader of “courting incels for months and months.”
The term incel, which used to be a niche internet phrase, is a pejorative meaning a person who is involuntarily celibate. Someone, usually a male who wants to have sex but experiences rejection. The term has commonly been used by left-wingers as an insult directed at their political opponents online.
Zarrillo also espoused concerns that once Prime Minister, Poilievre would head a Handmaid’s Tale-style tyranny in Canada by banning abortion.
The Handsmaid’s Tail is a dystopian novel written by Canadian author Margaret Atwood. It depicts a form of government ruled by a theocratic dictatorship that forces fertile women to give birth for the good of society.
“(Poilievre) and I went to the same high school and in Grade 10 the required reading was ‘The Handmaid’s Tale.’ It was hard to read,” Zarrillo said. “and I’ll tell you what else is difficult to read; what’s happening down in the United States and the fact that the United States is looking at taking away a woman’s right to choose.”
Zarrillo is likely referring to former president Donald Trump telling an abortion abolitionist group that he stands “side-by-side” with them in their fight to end abortion on Monday. He made the comments while on the campaign trail ahead of this year’s federal election.
“I think about the fact that (Poilievre) is courting incels for months and months and months at a time. And the last Conservative from Port Moody—Coquitlam was an anti-abortionist,” she said referring to Nelly Shin who lost the riding to Zarrillo in 2021.
“I want to know for sure today right now does (Poilievre) support a woman’s right to choose and is (he) going to take away a woman’s right to choose if (The Conservatives) ever, and I hope it never happens, become a government in this country?”
“No,” Poilievre said, which caused the Conservative caucus, including avowed pro-lifer Leslyn Lewis, to laugh and applaud.
Poilievre, much to the dismay of pro-life Conservatives, has on multiple occasions stated he would not pass any laws banning abortion.
His stance on the issue was one of the primary reasons Abraham Grant formed a new federal political party, the United Party of Canada.
During the Conservative party leadership race, Poilievre declared that he was “pro-choice” on the issue of abortion.
Despite his clear position from the onset of his leadership in the party, Poilievre won the leadership race with 68% of the Conservative vote.