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‘You think the world revolves around your skin colour’: Liberal and Conservative MP tangle on Twitter

MPs Celina Caesar-Chavannes and Maxime Bernier faced off over race on Twitter.
MPs Celina Caesar-Chavannes and Maxime Bernier faced off over race on Twitter. Compilation: Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail via CP and THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

OTTAWA – Conservative MP Maxime Bernier has reproached a black MP for being too focused on the colour of her skin.

Bernier published a message on Twitter on Saturday accusing Liberal MP Celina Caesar-Chavannes of thinking
the world revolves around her skin colour.

COMMENTARY: Privilege is the right of everyone to speak, not the burden of some to stay quiet

He was responding to a Globe and Mail interview with Caesar-Chavannes that focused on her willingness to speak out about race and privilege.

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“That’s the main difference between us,” he wrote. “You think the world revolves around your skin colour. My goal is to bring better policies to all Canadians. That’s an MP’s job.”

Caesar-Chavannes retorted with a tweet of her own, in which she said that unlike Bernier, she can raise awareness while dealing with policy.

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READ MORE: Liberal MP says racial microaggressions ‘happen all the time’ on Parliament Hill

“I can focus on policy while also shifting the status quo and increasing awareness,” she said. “That’s what happens when you #AddWomen. We get more done!”

This isn’t the first time the two outspoken MPs have tangled on Twitter.

Caesar-Chavannes apologized to Bernier in March after telling him to check his privilege and shut up during a heated social media exchange over funding for minority groups.

– With files from Global News

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