In Justin Trudeau’s defence, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland says the prime minister’s answer to the question about Donald Trump’s handling of the protests and rioting in the U.S. was ”excellent and eloquent.”

”I think that the most important response of any Canadian political leader has to be to understand our own responsibility for what happens here in our own country,” Freeland said.

But the leaders of the NDP and Bloc Quebecois are criticizing Trudeau’s silence on the U.S. President’s words and actions.

The NDP’s Jagmeet Singh says not calling out the ”reprehensible” actions of Trump ”reveals hypocrisy.”

The Bloc’s Yves-Francois Blanchet says Trudeau ”needs a spine” after offering ”20 seconds of carefully meditated silence, strategic silence,” in reference to the prime minister’s long pause before answering.

Former Green Party Leader Elizabeth May is not critical however, saying she understands Trudeau must speak carefully for the sake of maintaining trade relations with the U.S. and managing the border during COVID-19.

At the same time, May says she’s appalled by Trump, adding the U.S. is not safe for people of colour and that Canada should consider admitting refugees, despite the current policy of not admitting asylum seekers because of COVID-19 related health concerns.