OTTAWA -- A longtime Conservative MP who quit the party in order to better defend his religious beliefs says scientists are being gagged by the "false" theory of evolution.
James Lunney has also told the House of Commons that he's being "crowd-shamed" on social media for his beliefs.
Before long, however, Lunney -- speaking on a point of privilege in the House of Commons -- was cut off by Speaker Andrew Scheer on the basis that the ridicule had not affected his ability to do his job.
Lunney said he quit the Tories to defend his beliefs against what he calls deliberate attempts to suppress a Christian world view from professional and economic opportunity in law, medicine, and academia.
Lunney recently defended a Conservative Ontario MPP who was widely mocked for saying he doesn't believe in evolution.
On Twitter, Lunney told his followers to "stop calling evolution fact."
On Wednesday, he was mocked anew on social media for his attempts to extrapolate on his beliefs in the Commons.
"I think I may have been mispronouncing the name 'Lunney,"' tweeted one jokester.
During his speech, both Green party Leader Elizabeth May and Liberal MP Scott Simms came to Lunney's defence, arguing to Scheer that he should have been allowed to speak at length.
