Liberal operatives planted 'stop the steal' buttons at conservative conference

Kate McKenna · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 13, 2025 12:47 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

Two Liberal Party staffers attended past week's Canada Strong and Free Networking (CSFN) Conference wherever they planted buttons that utilized Trump-style connection and highlighted part wrong the Conservative Party.

The conference, often referred to by its erstwhile name, the Manning Centre, is an accidental for conservative-leaning Canadians to speech astir argumentation proposals and network. It was held astatine the Westin Hotel successful downtown Ottawa.

Some attendees noticed buttons appearing astatine the event.

One said "stop the steal" — an evident notation to Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the effect of the 2020 U.S. statesmanlike election.

The Liberal Party of Canada has sought to necktie Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to the American president successful speeches and ads. Some Conservative supporters person expressed skepticism astir polling numbers that enactment the Liberals ahead.

Another fastener had the sanction "Jenni Byrne" crossed out, with the sanction "Kory Teneycke" underneath. Byrne is the nationalist run manager for the Conservative Party of Canada. 

Teneycke is simply a longtime Conservative strategist, who played a cardinal relation successful Ontario Premier Doug Ford's re-election campaign. He has been profoundly captious of the Conservative Party of Canada's run to date.

The buttons were scattered successful the lawsuit abstraction successful a mode to springiness the content that they were made and near by radical attending the conference.

In fact, the thought came from the Liberal warfare room.

On Friday night, successful 2 Ottawa bars, run workers shared however the enactment was down this determination — how 2 Liberal Party staffers attended the league intended for conservatives and placed these buttons successful areas wherever attendees would find them.

One of those conversations was successful the contiguous earshot of this journalist. A Conservative root overheard the other conversation.

The Liberal Party did not respond to a petition for comment, but besides did not contradict their campaign's involvement. 

"It's unfortunate, but not astonishing that the Liberals would question to misrepresent the views of attendees of our conference," said CSFN spokesperson Alex Spence successful a statement.

"These divisive, gimmicky tactics accidental much astir the Liberals than they bash of the agreed and increasing Conservative movement."

Sources told CBC News that radical moving connected the Poilievre run were instructed not to be the conference, and alternatively beryllium retired door-knocking.

"Despite their nationalist claims, it's wide that it's the Liberals who are attempting to bring American-style authorities to our country," said Conservative Party of Canada spokesperson Sam Lilly successful a statement.

"One wonders what different soiled tricks the Liberals are down arsenic they desperately question to distract from their disastrous grounds portion seeking a 4th Liberal term."