Conservative MP Obhrai slams Maxine Bernier for his bigotry; Scheer says Bernier doesn’t speak for his party (update)

Maxime Bernier
Photo: Twitter

CONSERVATIVE MP Maxime Bernier on Sunday in a series of tweets blasted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his “extreme multiculturalism and cult of diversity” that he said “will divide us into little tribes that have less and less in common, apart from their dependence on government in Ottawa.” He added: “These tribes become political clienteles to be bought with taxpayers $ and special privileges.”

Bernier advanced the same old, same old argument of “more diversity will not be our strength, it will destroy what has made us such a great country.” He said: “Cultural balkanisation brings distrust, social conflict, and potentially violence, as we are seeing everywhere. It’s time we reverse this trend before the situation gets worse.”

On Monday, Bernier, who lost his party’s leadership to Andrew Scheer, added: ” I did not criticize “diversity” but rather “more diversity,” and “ever more diversity” as Trudeau is proposing with his radical multiculturalism.”

Deepak Obhrai

Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai, who was parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs in Stephen Harper’s government, on Monday hit back at Bernier for his bigotry.

Obhrai tweeted: “Diversity has brought strength to canada. canada gains from this strength Focusing on on few individuals/groups who may reject our values of as enshrined in our chapter of rights are not the strength of diversity

“as a conservative mp of diverse background our party is about the big blue tent that I advocated during the leadership race . The conservatives movement is very attractive to all Canadians That’s where our focus should be

“as ps [parliamentary secretary] of foreign affairs I travelled all over the world. It was an honour .The reaction of many , when I said I was representing canada,was to Quote sultan of Brunei ‘ you are not white’ Canadian diversity must be celebrated.”

Former Liberal MP Bob Rae pointed out in his tweet: “The trouble with this stuff is that [it] was said one hundred and fifty years ago about the arrival of the Irish, and every generation since then. Jews, Italians, Chinese, Sikhs, the list is endless – none of them were welcomed, all were accused of not “fitting in””

Judyth Mermelstein pointed out in her tweet: “anyone who comes here from anywhere just wants -and fully deserves- to be given an equal chance at a decent life here. The Canada that once despised and ghettoized the Irish, Eastern Europeans, Italians and Greeks as “not real Canadians” got over it. Ditto the Lebanese, Iranian

“Vietnamese, East Indian, Chinese, Haitians and others. So I find myself asking “Just who are those people you want to keep out, and what makes you think Canada can’t cope with their short period of adjustment?” Our mutual culture has managed well up to now. What’s changed?”

 

Andrew Scheer

ON Wednesday, Conservative Party Leader Andrew Scheer said in a statement that Bernier holds no official role in caucus and does not speak for his party on any issue.

He added: “Personally, I disagree with politicians on the left and the right when they use identity politics to divide Canadians. I will not engage in this type of politics.

“Conservatives celebrate Canada’s diversity and a Conservative government will continue to welcome those from all over the world who choose to come here because of the society we have built.

“At different times, waves of immigrants from all over the world have added to our history and our culture and embraced the fundamental principles that Canada was founded on, including peace, equality, tolerance, freedom and democracy. We must all work to ensure that Canada continues to be a place where people from all over the world can come to find a richer, freer more peaceful life.”