Wednesday November 16, 2016

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Wednesday November 16, 2016 Conservative contender Kellie Leitch: 'I am not a racistÕ Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch says her enthusiasm for Donald Trump does not make her a racist. During an exchange on CTVÕs Question Period, rival candidate Michael Chong suggested Leitch was importing the divisive style practised by the U.S. president-elect. Leitch proposes screening newcomers for Canadian values, and says she shares some ideas with Trump on immigration. ÒI am not a racist,Ó Leitch said during the CTV segment aired Sunday. ÒI am not a person whoÕs out groping other individuals. I do not do those things and I donÕt think that the Canadians who support the ideas IÕm talking about do those types of things.Ó The exchange comes as candidates for party chief prepare to debate today at a conference centre just south of Ottawa. They sparred earlier this week in Saskatoon over immigration, carbon pricing and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. Twelve people are running to be the next Conservative leader, who will be chosen in May. Leitch has attracted headlines Ñ and some barbs from other leadership contenders Ñ for her immigration screening proposal, which she has yet to flesh out. She denies endorsing the controversial Trump. (Source: Toronto Star) https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/11/13/conservative-contender-kellie-leitch-i-am-not-a-racist.html Canada, USA, Donald Trump, election, conservative, autocrat, monarch, king, gold, republican

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday November 16, 2016

Conservative contender Kellie Leitch: ‘I am not a racist’

Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch says her enthusiasm for Donald Trump does not make her a racist.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Wednesday September 7, 2016 Kellie Leitch defends 'anti-Canadian values' survey question Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch is defending a contentious survey question from her campaign team that asked supporters what they think about vetting would-be immigrants and refugees for "anti-Canadian values.Ó The survey made headlines on Thursday, with at least one Conservative strategist calling for her to withdraw from the race. "Canadians can expect to hear more, not less from me, on this topic in the coming months," Leitch wrote in an emailed statement. "Screening potential immigrants for anti-Canadian values that include intolerance towards other religions, cultures and sexual orientations, violent and/or misogynist behaviour and/or a lack of acceptance of our Canadian tradition of personal and economic freedoms is a policy proposal that I feel very strongly about.Ó The rest of the survey, which was sent to those who signed up for news from the Leitch campaign, gauges support on a variety of issues, including electoral reform, corporate tax cuts and the legalization and regulation of marijuana for recreational use. One question refers to denying citizenship to someone who recants the pledge to the Queen after taking it; another asks about incarcerating terrorists instead of providing "therapy and counselling.Ó "Oftentimes, debating and discussing these complex policies requires tough conversations Ñ conversations that go well beyond media sound bites and simplified labels," wrote Leitch. "I am committed to having these conversations, to debating theses issues, and I invite Canadians to give their feedback.Ó (Source CBC News)Êhttp://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/leitch-responds-survey-question-1.3746470 Canada, Kellie Keitch, Conservative, Party, leadership, dog whistle, immigration, Donald Trump, wall

September 7, 2016

During an exchange on CTV’s Question Period, rival candidate Michael Chong suggested Leitch was importing the divisive style practised by the U.S. president-elect.

Leitch proposes screening newcomers for Canadian values, and says she shares some ideas with Trump on immigration.

“I am not a racist,” Leitch said during the CTV segment aired Sunday. “I am not a person who’s out groping other individuals. I do not do those things and I don’t think that the Canadians who support the ideas I’m talking about do those types of things.”

The exchange comes as candidates for party chief prepare to debate today at a conference centre just south of Ottawa.

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator Ð Tuesday October 25, 2016 Steven Blaney kicks off Conservative leadership campaign with proposed niqab ban Quebec MP Steven Blaney is running for leadership of the Conservative Party, and his first major policy position is a ban on the niqab and a promise to invoke the notwithstanding clause if courts strike down his new measures. The former minister in the cabinet of Stephen Harper said he will introduce legislation that would forbid the Islamic face-covering while voting and taking the oath of citizenship. He also said that the prohibition would extend to people working in the federal public service. "We are a country that is built on immigration, but we have to be sure that those new Canadians we welcome are understanding of how we live. We don't want our country to become like the country they left," Blaney told reporters Monday. "We fully welcome you, but we want you to respect who we are.Ó The measures are necessary, Blaney said, to "ensure the sustainability of our integration model" and to protect women's rights. The proposal revives a controversial debate from the last campaign, when Harper himself suggested the niqab should be banned from the public service. His party enacted policies to prevent women from wearing a niqab while taking the citizenship oath, and promised to create a "barbaric cultural practices" tip line. Those two proposals led some to accuse the party of engaging in identity politics and fuelling anti-Muslim sentiment. Zunera Ishaq, a Muslim woman, went to court to challenge the government's ban, and, in the middle of the campaign, the Federal Court of Appeal cleared the wayÊfor her to wear the head covering. (Source: CBC News)Êhttp://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/steven-blaney-conservative-leadership-niqab-ban-1.3818673 Canada, Conservative, party, niqab, assisted suicide, end of life, conservative, leadership, Kellie Leitch, Steven Blaney, culture, race, religion, stephen ha

October 25, 2016

They sparred earlier this week in Saskatoon over immigration, carbon pricing and the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

Twelve people are running to be the next Conservative leader, who will be chosen in May.

Leitch has attracted headlines — and some barbs from other leadership contenders — for her immigration screening proposal, which she has yet to flesh out. She denies endorsing the controversial Trump. (Source: Toronto Star)