Federal Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch stood firm in her commitment to screening immigrants for “Canadian values” days after a French Canadian was arrested and charged for Sunday night’s massacre at a mosque in Quebec City.
“What I’m talking about is a common sense policy. Having face-to-face interviews with each individual entering Canada, about Canadian values,” she said in an interview Wednesday morning on The Morning Show.
“For those of us that are here in Canada, Canadian citizens, we have laws that we expect to be enforced.”
WATCH: Kellie Leitch appears on FOX News, accuses ‘elites’ of pushing open-border agendas
The fact the suspect police arrested and charged in the shooting is a French Canadian hasn’t swayed her determination to run on her values platform.
Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, on Monday was charged with six counts of first degree murder and five counts of attempted murder.
READ MORE: Alexandre Bissonnette charged with 6 counts of 1st degree murder in Quebec City mosque shooting
While speaking of the Quebec City shooting, Leitch spoke as though there was more than one perpetrator. Initial reports on Monday stated there were two suspects — Bisonette as well as a man of Moroccan decent. Police later said the second man was a witness, not a suspect.
Leitch’s campaign did not immediately return an email Wednesday morning asking why she was suggesting more than one person was responsible for Sunday’s massacre.
READ MORE: Conservative leadership candidate Maxime Bernier well ahead in campaign fundraising
“I condemn the act and all of those who participated in it,” she said Wednesday. “I hope the individuals that are involved in this heinous crime feel the full weight of the law for the horrible act that they’ve conducted.”
Leitch on Sunday night quickly added her voice to the chorus of mourners as news broke of the shooting deaths at the mosque, though she was criticized for failing to mention those killed were Muslim.
In the wake of the attack, another Conservative leadership hopeful, Michael Chong, went after Leitch, as well as U.S. President Donald Trump and other nationalist political leaders worldwide.
On Twitter, Chong said the attack in Quebec was “no accident” – that it was a “direct result of demagogues and wannabe demagogues playing to fears and prejudices.”
“I was quite shocked at Michael’s comments,” Leitch said Wednesday. “I encourage all Canadians … to pray for these families. This was an outrageous act of terrorism … and no matter what the debate is, no matter what the policy item is, an act of violence is never, ever acceptable.”
While Leitch continues steadfastly on her values platform, much of the world is still trying to grasp the consequences Trump’s controversial temporary immigration and refugee.
In Wednesday’s interview, Leitch declined the opportunity to explicitly condemn the president’s executive order, instead saying only his policy is not one she would consider in Canada.
Comments