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Kellie Leitch roasted on social media for ‘bizarre’ Canadian Values video

Click to play video: 'Kellie Leitch’s awkward campaign video goes viral'
Kellie Leitch’s awkward campaign video goes viral
The Conservative leadership race is taking an unusual turn with the release of a video that was supposed to humanize candidate Kellie Leitch. It's getting attention for all the wrong reasons and comes as the leadership hopefuls gather for a debate in Edmonton. Mike Le Couteur reports – Feb 28, 2017

Two days ago, Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch released a campaign video about her proposal to screen new arrivals for Canadian values.

On Monday, people roasted the video on Twitter, where one person compared it to a “weird hate-induced fever dream.”

The video shows Leitch sitting in an office and talking about her controversial proposal, which would see immigration officials conduct face-to-face interviews with “all people who seek to come here,” including immigrants, refugees and visitors to Canada.

“Through these interviews we can make sure that the people who come to Canada share our historic values, the values enshrined in our constitution, ” she said.

But this time, her policy didn’t prove as controversial as her video pitch, which drew plenty of attention on social media for its unusual pacing, blocking and shooting.

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The video’s opening shot has Leitch looking into a camera that tracks awkwardly from right to left, though it never loses her gaze.

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Throughout the video, Leitch repeatedly looks away from the camera, up, down, and side to side.

It also alternates between two different angles: one that shows Leitch looking right into the lens, and one that doesn’t.

READ MORE: Banner with Quebec mosque shooting victim names, call to resign hung at Kellie Leitch’s office

Twitter user Warren Piers said it was one of the more “bizarre things I’ve seen lately.”

Radio producer Katie Jensen compared Leitch’s video to a failed audition tape.

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Toronto Star commentator Paul Wells explained his reluctance to tweet the video at all.

One Twitter user said the video renewed their confidence in their public speaking ability.

And progressive political organizer Nadine Tkatchevskaia called it a “true masterpiece of Canadian politics.”

But Leitch’s Canadian Values screening has drawn plenty of attention without the video’s help.

Earlier this month, she called the Quebec City shootings that killed six men an “outrageous act of violence,” but she remained firm on her screening proposal, calling it a “common sense policy.”

A banner was subsequently draped at her constituency office that said, “Hate puts us all at risk” and listed the names of the Quebec City shooting victims.

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