Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch isn’t backing down from her proposal to screen new immigrants for “anti-Canadian” values, despite criticism from within her own party.
Speaking to Power Play host Don Martin on Wednesday, Leitch defended the controversial idea and suggested it’s not unlike current security screening methods.
“It’s not intolerant to believe in a set of values that we expect everyone to share,” Leitch said in a phone interview from Quebec City, where she is taking French lessons. “I think that being respectful of other religions, cultures (and) sexual orientations are Canadian values.”
Leitch first floated the idea in an email survey last week that asked constituents: "Should the Canadian government screen potential immigrants for anti-Canadian values as part of its normal screening for refugees and landed immigrants?"
The question rankled several Conservatives, including interim leader Rona Ambrose, who said she doesn’t support the idea and doesn’t “even know what that would look like.”
Former Progressive Conservative prime minister Brian Mulroney said immigrants bring “devotion and loyalty to Canada” and “anything that diminishes” that is “kind of unacceptable.”
Leitch: Canada 'founded on certain values'
Leitch insisted that her idea is about preserving a “unified Canadian identity.” She identified those Canadian values in question as “equality of opportunity,” “hard work,” “freedom” and “tolerance.”
“The reality is that our nation is founded on certain values,” she said.
It isn’t the first time that the MP for Simcoe-Grey dabbled in the politics of so-called “Canadian values.” Last fall, Leitch fronted the proposed “barbaric cultural practices tip line,” but later said she regretted her involvement.
Asked about similarities between the failed tip line and the “anti-Canadian” values survey, Leitch attempted to cast distance between the two ideas.
“I recognize that it may be easy to paint the discussion about Canadian values in that light, but my intention that day when we made that announcement was to stand up for victimized women and girls,” she said.
Leitch pointed out instances in which the Conservative Party has stood up against controversial figures attempting to visit Canada, such as the misogynistic U.S. blogger Roosh V and self-professed “pick-up artist” Julien Blanc.
Leitch also rejected the idea that the “anti-Canadian” values survey was an attempt to goad political rivals into entering the contentious debate.
“I’m not trying to goad anyone into anything. For me, this is what I believe -- that there is a unified Canadian identity,” she said.
Bernier: 'It won’t work'
Conservative leadership candidate Maxime Bernier said he doesn’t agree with Leitch’s idea and thinks it would be ineffective in preventing possible terrorists from entering the country.
“People who want to come in our country, usually they believe in Canadian values,” Bernier said Wednesday. “If you have somebody that wants to come as a terrorist, he will say that he believes in Canadian values. So it is unworkable. “
Bernier said Canada’s current screening system for immigrants -- a lengthy process that asks applicants about their skills, income and education -- is sufficient.
“We have a great system,” he said.
Bernier also pointed to the 2014 shooting at Parliament Hill as a prime example of why Canadian immigrants aren’t necessarily the ones the government needs to be screening.
“As you know, what happened in Ottawa two years ago, that was done, that terrorist attack by … a Canadian born in Canada,” he said.
However, Bernier conceded that he does agree with Leitch on “one part only.”
“There are Canadian values: equality before the law, equality between men and women, respect and all that. But asking for a questionnaire and things like that, I don’t agree with that. It won’t be useful. It won’t work,” he said.
