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Conservative Party slams Justin Trudeau for “divisive” comments about the Senate, Quebec

Another day, another jab at Justin Trudeau by the Conservative Party.

But maybe this one is warranted.

The Tories are chiding the new Liberal leader for this statement — published in Le Soleil on Friday — against Senate abolition.

"We have 24 Senators in Quebec and there are only 6 for Alberta and British Columbia. That benefits us. To want to abolish it, that's just demagoguery…"

[ Related: How to abolish the Senate of Canada ]

In a follow-up interview with the Vancouver Sun, Trudeau clarified his comments.

“I’m looking out for the interests of all Canadians, there’s no question about that, but I’m not going to make apologies for being very serious about protecting minorities in this country, whether they be linguistic minorities like anglophones in Quebec or francophones outside of Quebec, or even Quebec as a province.”

The Conservatives are calling the comments divisive.

"While our Conservative Government and Canadians alike are focused on delivering meaningful reform to the Senate – including elections, term limits and tough spending oversight – with his divisive comments Justin Trudeau again underscores his lack of judgment and experience to lead all Canadians," party spokesperson Fred DeLorey wrote in a statement.

"Justin Trudeau has come out as the champion of the status quo, demanding that the Senate remain unelected and unaccountable, because it’s “an advantage for Quebec.”

"Since the Senate issue arose, Justin Trudeau has avoided any substantive commentary on reform nor committed his party to work with the Government to deliver accountability for the taxpayer. Instead, Justin Trudeau maintained his divisive track-record of pitting one region of Canada against another."

Heritage Minister James Moore went a little further telling the Vancouver Sun that Trudeau is "tone deaf to western Canadians."

"This isn’t the first time he has insulted the West, it won’t be the last," he said.

Moore, of course, is referring to the now-infamous interview from 2010 where Trudeau said Canada isn't doing well right now because Albertans are in power.

[ Related: Old video of Justin Trudeau slagging Alberta politicians surfaces, Trudeau apologizes ]

Interestingly, Trudeau has often accused both Stephen Harper and NDP leader Thomas Mulcair of pitting regions against each other.

It looks like Trudeau is just as culpable.

(Photo courtesy of The Canadian Press)

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