Justin Trudeau accuses woman of 'racism,' 'intolerance' for asking him about 'illegal immigrants

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused a woman of "racism" and "intolerance" after she yelled questions to him about "illegal immigrants" during an outdoor event in Quebec last week, Global News reported.

The woman asked Trudeau when the government would repay the province for the $146 million that Quebec says it has cost to handle an influx of asylum-seekers, the outlet said — although the Global News video of Thursday evening's incident quoted the woman as using the term "illegal immigrants."

The woman who yelled questions at Trudeau is in the checked shirt in foreground. Trudeau is further back speaking at a microphone. (Image source: Facebook video screenshot)

“One of the important things in politics is to listen,” Trudeau replied to her before saying "This intolerance toward immigrants has no room in Canada," Global News said. The pair spoke to each other in French.

CTV News quoted Trudeau as saying, "That intolerance with regard to diversity, you don't belong in Canada. Madame, your intolerance doesn't belong here."

After Trudeau was finished behind the microphone, he was seen on video shaking hands in the crowd when the same woman approached him and asked if he’s tolerant of "true-stock Quebecois," Global News said.

Trudeau repeated his chastisement, Global News noted, telling the woman that “your intolerance ... your racism has no place here.”

Image source: Facebook video screenshot

Here's the clip from Global News:



What happened to the woman after her exchange with Trudeau?

While the woman was yelling questions at Trudeau, video showed security people — responding to someone saying she was making a threat — attempting to talk with her, the Toronto Sun reported.

After exchange ended, further video showed a man with a baseball cap and a backpack holding the woman by her upper arm.

Image source: Facebook video screenshot

The woman said she had done nothing wrong, noting, “I have the right to say my opinion to Mr. Trudeau," the Sun reported.

Video showed the man producing a badge and showing it to her.

Image source: Facebook video screenshot

The Sun said a voice of another man on the clip said the woman made no threats and that it's unclear how the incident was resolved.

Here's the full video. The part featuring the man with the badge holding the woman's arm starts at around the 3:45 mark:



Did Trudeau walk back his comments later?

Not on your life.

“I will not flinch from highlighting when the politics of division, of fear, of spreading misinformation is actually harming the fabric of this country,” he said Monday morning while addressing the incident at an Ottawa event, Global News reported.

“The fact is, we have a situation where there are irregular arrivals coming across our border into Canada,” Trudeau continued, adding that the processing procedures for migrants is “100 percent consistent” with the country’s existing immigration system, the outlet noted.

“People who are trying to make this sound like a crisis are playing exactly the politics of fear and intolerance,” he added, the Global News said.