Kellie Leitch cites viral video as indication Canadians support her immigration policies

Conservative leadership candidate KellieLeitchsays the fact a video she put on social media last week has been viewed by so many people is proof her message on immigration is resonating with the public.

Speaking to the Calgary EyeopenerThursday, Leitch said the video widely lampooned for its bizarre staging and delivery has been viewed by more than500,000 people and has roughlyamillion Facebook impressions.

"That's what the media loves to do, you guys love to ridicule me. And soI'm delighted that now, unfiltered, the Canadian public can see what I'm talking about," said Leitch when asked whether the video's popularity reflected belief in her message, or incredulity at its production value.

Screening immigrants and visitors

Leitchis a controversial candidate thanks toher proposal that all immigrants, refugees and visitors to Canada should have a face-to-face interview with an immigration officer and be screened for "Canadian values."

Those values, Leitch said, are "hard work, generosity, freedom, tolerance and equality of opportunity."

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Leitch pointed to the fact Canada used to screen immigrants until 2002, with officers awarding points to based on objective criteria, but also on subjective "personal suitability" criteria.

She wants all visitors to Canada to undergo a screening process, adding the interviewcould helpimmigrants to this country integrate into society.

Response to policies

A poll conducted in September2016by Forum Research, rather than the pageviews of her recent video, suggests Leitch does have support for her views.

In that sampling of1,370 Canadian voters, 67 per cent agreed that immigrants should be screened for "anti-Canadian values."

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"I recognize that ...the media wanted to pick this as something negative and everything else, but it's not and two-thirds of Canadians agree with me," saidLeitch.

A more recent Forum poll from January showed only two per cent of Canadians, not just Conservative members, favouredLeitchtobe the leader of the Conservatives.

Leitchis running against Kevin O'Leary, StevenBlaney, PierreLemieux,MaximeBernier, Rick Peterson, MichaelChong, ErinO'Toole, AndrewSaxton, LisaRaitt, AndrewScheer, Chris Alexander, BradTrostandDeepakObhrai.

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