Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of transforming passport pages because he wants to tear down Canada’s past. .“But here’s the problem for leaders that want to control everything: The only way to justify it is by promising a utopia,” said Poilievre in a Saturday video. .“Now, utopia is a beautiful word, but in Greek, it actually means no place.” .Canada's new passport design sparked controversy on Thursday, as it excluded images of significant Canadian historical figures, events, and landmarks. .READ MORE: Canadians upset with new passports that ‘erase’ Canadian history.Critics said the move was an attempt by the Canadian government to erase the country's past. .The new design featured animals such as owls and bears instead of iconic Canadians and symbols such as Terry Fox, Nellie McClung, the Last Spike, Centre Block, the Stanley Cup, and Vimy Ridge. .Poilievre said leaders cannot promise to take people to no place except if they start from it. In other words, he said the only way people can redraw a country is “to wipe away the existing painting so that you can draw on a blank slate.” .British author George Orwell said the past was dead and the future was unimaginable. Orwell acknowledged all that was needed was an unending series of victories over people’s memories. .Poilievre said these leaders have supported knocking down statues of past leaders, deleted words and achievements, and removed heroes. He joked about how McClung was deleted from the passports despite Trudeau saying he is a feminist. .The Conservative leader went on to say these people and icons were deleted because they “show that Canada is amazing above and beyond its government.” If Canada is amazing, he asked how can people have the state change it. .He said Trudeau wants people to have no heroes. Canada’s history has to be portrayed as a collection of injustices to justify remaking the country from scratch. .Instead, Poilievre said Canada’s story in this passport looks now more like Trudeau’s personal colouring book. He alleged the prime minister is remaking history to portray him as a hero, which resembles the authoritarian countries he admires. .While he wants to be seen as a hero, Poilievre said the real heroes are not on state billboards or television. They are the common people. .Canada’s democratic tradition goes back 800 years to the Magna Carta, when the common people forced King John to sign the charter which brought in liberty under the law. Over those 800 years, he said Canada has evolved closer to a more democratic country where common people are in charge. .If this generation fails to pass on the inheritance from those who came before to those who come after, Poilievre said it could be lost forever. That is why it is important to keep common stories, common symbols, and common sense. .“A passport is known for taking us abroad, but some times the most important thing, especially when it comes to our traditions and freedoms, is to bring it home,” he said.
