On Wednesday, one Conservative critic after another stood up and addressed their questions to the “Liberal leader” — not the prime minister, as is conventional practice in the House. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stands during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on May 1, 2019. “When leaders in China dismissed the prime minister as “little potato”, he thought they meant it as a compliment,” Poilievre said, before Regan shut down the question as an indirect insult. It’s a way of keeping the coverage level — giving no one, even the prime minister, added authority on first reference. As soon as the election starts, the Star will refer to Trudeau as Conservatives did repeatedly on Wednesday — as a mere Liberal leader.

Source: thestar May 02, 2019 21:00 UTC