The Conservative Party of Canada has pulled a promotional patriotic video released over the weekend that features its leader delivering a patriotic speech with Russian fighter jets flying in the sky, as per CNN affiliate CBC.
Sarah Fischer, the director of communications for the party, released a statement and said, “The video was removed—mistakes happen.”
Meant to highlight the iconic Canadian landscapes, the video was widely condemned online for including foreign footage.
“Shockingly, Mr. Poilievre’s dream for Canada includes Russian fighter jets (an Su-17 and what appears to be an Su-27) flying over our glorious prairies on a ‘training mission.’ This comes as Russia continues its illegal, unprovoked war of choice against Ukraine and the international rules that keep us all safe,” stated a press release from Bill Blair’s office, Canada’s Minister of National Defense.
The viral video was reshared by the New Democratic Party’s MP Charlie Angus, who noted that the video contained stock footage from other countries, which was later confirmed by CNN too.
“Poilievre’s fake Canada protected by Russian jets for Serbian families with a Venezuelan sunset is drawing international attention,” Angus wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
