Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump incited an assault on democracy by violent rioters — a rare direct criticism of Mr. Trump by him.
Mr. Trudeau has been careful not to criticise Mr. Trump over the last four years as 75% of Canada’s exports go to America. But he told reporters on Friday that Mr. Trump and other politicians are to blame for an event he called “shocking, deeply disturbing, and frankly saddening.”
“What we witnessed was an assault on democracy by violent rioters, incited by the current president and other politicians,” Mr. Trudeau said.
He said that democracy is not automatic — it takes work every day — and that it's a real accomplishment to have a political system in which the losing side gracefully concedes.
But Mr. Trudeau said democracy is resilient in America, Canada’s closet ally. Canadians expect “debate that is grounded in shared acceptance of the facts,” he added.
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