Bernier shuts down push from far right

OTTAWA • Quebec MP Maxime Bernier says he will have no further discussions with the leader of a party who said in a recent video that it supports “traditional gender roles” and that “we want our men being strong and we want our women being beautiful.”

Travis Patron, the leader of the far-right Canadian Nationalist Party, says he called Bernier’s office last week because he wanted to “jump on the phone” with him to see if he could find out any details about his new political venture.

“I inquired with Mr. Bernier’s office about his plans for his new party, trying to get some details about what his platform is and to see if there would be any interest in possibly co-operating with the Canadian Nationalist Party. So I reached out to him,” he said.

Bernier organizer Martin Masse confirmed that the phone call took place, and said it would be the last.

The Canadian Nationalist Party is a fringe party that is not registered with Elections Canada. The group proposes banning burkas, and deporting asylum seekers.

Patron said he likes that Bernier is willing to debate multiculturalism because his own party has been discussing whether multiculturalism is beneficial in the long term.

But their phone call, he said, focused primarily on immigration.

Patron said they agreed that the Liberal government is not doing enough to curb the number of asylum seekers crossing the U.S. border into Canada.

But Patron said he and Bernier disagreed on the number of newcomers to welcome to Canada, saying he would like the number to be much lower than what Bernier proposed.

Patron said Bernier asked for his support and he responded that he was looking forward to learning more about his party.

Bernier is expected to announce his party’s name and logo on Friday and Patron said he hopes the party’s name doesn’t have “nationalist” or “nationalism” in it because it will overshadow his work.

Masse said Bernier “welcomes everyone in his party who shares the fundamental values and supports the clear policies he has put forward over the past years,” adding, “That’s what he tells everyone he meets and talks to who is interested in his new party. Those who don’t share these fundamental values should support other parties.

“Mr. Bernier will have no further discussion with Mr. Patron,” he said.

Bernier spent much of the last year butting heads with Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer over party policy on supply management, and announced last month he was leaving the Conservatives to start his own party.

He has touted having several prominent people behind him, and now they are starting to come forward publicly.