Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch slammed what she called “politically correct elitism” in a fundraising email sent to her supporters on Tuesday, urging them not to shy away from defending or discussing Canadian values.
Leitch has been under fire since raising the possibility of screening immigrants and refugees for “anti-Canadian values” in a campaign message last week.
The former Conservative cabinet minister has held her ground, however, arguing that values like tolerance, equality of men and women and respect for religious and sexual diversity form the foundations of Canadian society, and that people who want to come here should share them.
WATCH: Kellie Leitch defends screening immigrants for Canadian values
“While the elites and most media harshly criticized even the mention of the discussion, you knew better,” Leitch wrote in the email sent out Tuesday.
“Together we will stand up to those who don’t want to discuss Canadian values and whose politically correct elitism remains tone deaf to the views of most Canadians.”
READ MORE: Leitch says conversation must be had about screening immigrants for Canadian values
Leitch’s email cites a recent Forum Research poll, published by the Toronto Star, that showed two-thirds of respondents agreed there should be values screening for new arrivals.
Leitch’s email then asks for donations to support her bid to replace former prime minister Stephen Harper, and urges people to volunteer to help spread the word about her campaign.
Several other leadership contenders, including Maxime Bernier and Michael Chong, have publicly opposed Leitch’s stance on engaging in a discussion surrounding values or identity during the nine-month campaign.
READ MORE: Conservatives need to earn back trust of Atlantic Canadians, says Ambrose
Interim Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose, currently in Halifax for the party’s summer caucus meeting, has also come out against the idea of values testing.
Last weekend, the former head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Richard Fadden, told the West Block’s Tom Clark that immigrants who do oppose things like gender equality will simply lie.
“Anybody who intends us harm is going to answer in a way that makes us entirely comfortable,” Fadden said.
WATCH: Tom Clark interviews former CSIS director Richard Fadden
The Conservatives are set to elect a new leader next May.