There were no questions about policy for Saskatoon-University MP and Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) leadership candidate following Tuesday’s debate in Moncton. Instead, reporters brought a tweet into question.
Brad Trost tweeted his support for the crowd of Albertans who took part in a Donald Trump-style chant of “lock her up” at an anti-carbon tax rally in Edmonton this past weekend. The “her” in question, Alberta Premier Rachel Notley.
READ MORE: Alberta, federal politicians denounce ‘lock her up’ rally as Trump-style politics
Trost also called for interim Conservative leader Rona Ambrose to apologize for her condemnation of the chants, calling her “out of touch.”
On Monday, Ambrose said the chant was “not only unoriginal, it’s completely inappropriate.”
“We don’t lock people up in Canada for bad policy, we vote them out,” Ambrose said.
Trost said he sees it as his role to stand up for those who don’t feel they are being heard.
“What I was expressing was my solidarity with people that are frustrated there was no one listening to them. They didn’t think she should go to jail, they were saying they were frustrated with the fact no one is listening to them,” Trost said.
READ MORE: Tory leadership hopefuls square off in bilingual debate in Moncton
There are 14 leadership hopefuls all hoping to win over voters on May 27, 2017.
Erika Tucker contributed to this story