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Looking at Twitter these days it seems Canada also has some folks who like to tweet "alternative facts."
The tweets are in response to Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sending out a tweet of his own donating $50 million in aid to Education Cannot Wait. The Prime Minister's tweet was sent to host of The Daily Show, Trevor Noah, as he was hosting the Global Citizen Festival in his native country of South Africa.
The festival was in honor of Nelson Mandela with the goal of ending extreme poverty.
The actual pledge of support from Canada came in June during the during the G7 Summit when leaders around the world pledged more than $3.8 billion for the worldwide education of girls. Overall Canada pledged $400 million over a three year time period.
The tweet in question was sent out to draw attention to the cause, but that isn't stopping people from taking the tweet out of context and framing it to imply Prime Minister Trudeau threw it out there willy-nilly to show off in front of celebrities.
Louis Belanger, director of communications for International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau clarified the situation by saying:
."We always look for hooks to release the funds. [The decision] has been in the pipeline for some time. The decision to give the funds to Education Cannot Wait, the recipient organization announced by Trudeau, was made three weeks ago. Then we looked for an opportunity to announce it."
Hey @Trevornoah - thanks for everything you’re doing to celebrate Nelson Mandela’s legacy at the @GlblCtzn festival… https://t.co/UZo0vv5Ftz— Justin Trudeau (@Justin Trudeau)1543755613.0
Here is Trudeau speaking about the pledged money back in June.
Still, the truth didn't stop some from being outraged.
Pledging $50 million in a tweet to impress a TV personality? Taxpayers need a defender not somebody who throws th… https://t.co/uh10bbgTBf— Andrew Scheer (@Andrew Scheer)1543807917.0
It’s so tone deaf.....on a day when we had more job losses (Tenaris), production curtailments in the energy sector,… https://t.co/kU9GDDD6lK— Michelle Rempel Garner (@Michelle Rempel Garner)1543815061.0
I don't think this is a good way to announce a government spending commitment https://t.co/jdnS92OB3V— Stephen Maher (@Stephen Maher)1543847730.0
It would seem the word "celebrity" is a coordinated talking point.
But not everyone was falling for it.
🤔Spoke w/feds. @JustinTrudeau did not give away $50M of new money in a tweet to impress @TrevorNoah at @GlblCtzn fe… https://t.co/MTDg6wvi0Z— Nick Logan (@Nick Logan)1543849806.0
International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau's office says this $50 million tweeted by PMJT is part of $4… https://t.co/hPzs7FSKtW— Glen McGregor (@Glen McGregor)1543855196.0
As always, we say YES to government investment in education for #women and #girls around the world! @JustinTrudeau… https://t.co/YSh0H7Lk2M— War Child Canada (@War Child Canada)1543860831.0
@AndrewScheer Its not to impress a TV personality its to help women & girls get an education!!— Timarie (@Timarie)1543808129.0
@AndrewScheer seriously? Canada always supports foreign aid, this is a very disingenuous tweet.— Timarie (@Timarie)1543808043.0
@AndrewScheer Andy, we know our PM pledged & set out in the budget money to help women in 3rd world countries get… https://t.co/VeeOayM3lk— GrumpyGrannie (@GrumpyGrannie)1543816475.0
@AndrewScheer Wow gurl you cast so much shade daily, I’m sending your tape to Rupaul’s Drag Race. Word 😄— deekie (@deekie)1543808168.0
@AndrewScheer You do know that this money was allotted in the 2018 budget, of course you do. And if you didn't know… https://t.co/oB16OUIYT0— 💉💉Uvam Acerbam© (@💉💉Uvam Acerbam©)1543844220.0
Since when is donating to education a bad thing?
H/T: Global News, CBC