Two Conservative MPs silent after Poilievre says they 'regret' meeting German politician
Two Conservative members of Parliament are remaining tight-lipped about whether they regret meeting with a German politician, which is something Pierre Poilievre has said they do.
Neither Leslyn Lewis nor Dean Allison have responded to direct questions about whether they agree with the Conservative leader's characterization of their feelings about their choice to take part in a recent luncheon with Christine Anderson.
The German politician visited Canada as part of a tour organized by supporters of last winter's "Freedom Convoy" staged around Parliament Hill and at several border crossings to protest against COVID-19 vaccines, health restrictions, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government.
Anderson, who is a member of European Parliament representing the Alternative for Germany party, expressed support for protesters at the time and spoke out against Trudeau.
The right-wing populist party has been under surveillance as a suspected extremist group in Germany since 2021 and has been accused of downplaying Nazi crimes, opposing immigration and pushing anti-Muslim ideology.
Bethan Nodwell, one of the organizers who arranged for Anderson to visit Canada and meet with three Conservative MPs during a lunch last week, said their discussion centred around Trudeau, vaccines, the convoy and pandemic-related restrictions, such as lockdowns.
She said it lasted about two hours and that "we parted ways with smiles and waving."
Concerns about Lewis, Allison and fellow caucus member Colin Carrie choosing to meet Anderson emerged last week shortly after photographs of the luncheon began circulating on social media.
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs said it raised concerns directly with the Conservative party, and the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center also condemned the meeting.
Both groups said it was "deeply concerning" and "troubling" that elected leaders in Canada met with Anderson when her party espouses "Islamophobic" and "hateful views."
Poilievre's office responded by releasing a statement from the official Opposition leader, saying it would have been better if Anderson never visited Canada and that his MPs were unaware of her opinions and "regret meeting with her."
In the same email, his office also included a statement from Allison, Lewis and Carrie. It said that while it is not uncommon for elected officials to meet with counterparts from other countries, the trio were not "aware of the views or associations of her and her political party." It added: "We do not share or endorse her views and strongly condemn any views that are racist or hateful."
Carrie, who represents the riding of Oshawa, hours later tweeted that he "profoundly" regrets meeting with Anderson "without having sought the input of my staff" and taking a closer look at who he was meeting with.
The offices of Allison and Lewis, however, have not answered direct questions about whether Poilievre's assertion that they regret attending the meeting is true. A spokesman for Poilievre also did not specify how he confirmed the MPs regret the meeting.
A staffer in Lewis's office provided a statement to The Canadian Press on Monday, where the MP reiterates how her job requires her to meet with foreign officials "quite frequently and often do not share the views of those officials or their parties."
She went on to defend her record as a lawyer where she says she stood up for the rights of immigrants and members of the LGBTQ community.
"Before becoming a member of Parliament one of my practice areas was human rights, and as such, I've always, and continue to, condemn any views that are racist or hateful," said Lewis.
"As an immigrant to Canada myself I am blessed to have grown up here in Canada, and have seen, first hand, the vital role that immigration plays, both to us as Canadians and to those seeking to build a better life."
Lewis also took to social media last week following an interview with the Toronto Sun to say she rejects criticism coming from Trudeau over her meeting with Anderson, pointing to how during the 2019 federal election he was discovered to have worn brown- and blackface several times before entering politics. After the news came out, Trudeau apologized on the campaign trail.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2023.
IN DEPTH
Jagmeet Singh pulls NDP out of deal with Trudeau Liberals, takes aim at Poilievre Conservatives
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has pulled his party out of the supply-and-confidence agreement that had been helping keep Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority Liberals in power.
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP needs to decide whether 4 million Canadians deserve dental care: minister
Procurement Minister and newly appointed Quebec lieutenant Jean-Yves Duclos is warning the NDP that the dental care program it helped put into place will be in jeopardy if it pulls its support from the governing Liberals.
2 suspended from U.S. college swim team after report of slur scratched onto student's body
At least two students at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania have been suspended from the swim team after a report that a racial slur was scratched onto a student's body, officials said.
The City of Calgary ended water restrictions for the city at a Sunday morning update.
Myths busted and lessons learned: John Vennavally-Rao on his surgery to reverse his ostomy
Twenty-seven year Â鶹´«Ã½ reporter and anchor John Vennavally-Rao shares his story of what it was like to have an ostomy bag as part of his health-care battle. 'I’m grateful for what it did to extend my life,' he writes in a personal column for CTVNews.ca.
Kate, the Princess of Wales, makes first public appearance after cancer treatment
Kate, the Princess of Wales, made her first public appearance Sunday since she announced she had completed chemotherapy and would return to some public duties.
'Hubris and greed': Takeaways from the first week of U.S. Coast Guard inquiry into the Titan submersible disaster
More than a year after the Titan submersible imploded, killing all five voyagers on board, the story of the ill-fated expedition to the Titanic has taken the form of a modern-day Greek tragedy overflowing with mortal pride and heedlessness.
What is the U.S. Electoral College? America's path to the presidency, explained
In less than two months, Americans will go to the polls to choose their next president. But the process that translates those millions of votes into one seat in the Oval Office is much more complicated than a straight tally.
Trump's goal of mass deportations fell short. But he has new plans for a second term
Donald Trump has long pledged to deport millions of people, but he's bringing more specifics to his current bid for the White House: invoking wartime powers, relying on like-minded governors and using the military.
A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.
Local Spotlight
Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.
Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.
An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.
They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.
A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.
Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.
The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is celebrating an important milestone in the organization's history: 50 years since the first women joined the force.
It's been a whirlwind of joyful events for a northern Ontario couple who just welcomed a baby into their family and won the $70 million Lotto Max jackpot last month.