Fildebrandt backs Bernier on diversity, immigration
Maverick MLA Derek Fildebrandt says he supports Conservative MP Maxime Bernier’s blasts on Canadian diversity, noting that his new provincial Freedom Conservative Party will push for Alberta to have more control over immigration.
Bernier, the Quebec MP who narrowly lost the Conservative leadership last year, has made waves over the past two weeks as he tweeted about the dangers of “extreme multiculturalism” under the Trudeau government, warning that “more diversity … will destroy what has made us such a great country.”
He suggested Tuesday on Twitter that Canadian immigration levels are too high.
Fildebrandt, who backed Bernier for the Tory leadership, said Bernier’s position is “broadly accepted by the majority of Albertans and Canadians.”
“The vast majority … support a welcoming immigration and refugee system, but there needs to be reasonable limits to all things,” said Fildebrandt, adding that diversity is positive but must be underpinned by shared values.
“I don’t think there’s anything untoward about what he said.”
Fildebrandt, the MLA for Strathmore-Brooks, founded the Freedom Conservative Party in July following his ouster from the United Conservative Party earlier this year. The party announced this week it will hold its founding convention and leadership election Oct. 20 in Chestermere.
Fildebrandt, the FCP’s interim leader, has described the party as a home for “unapologetic conservatives, libertarians and Alberta patriots.”
Among the areas where he wants more autonomy for Alberta is on immigration, saying that national parties have refused to deal with the issue.
“The FCP is committed to taking back our constitutional authority over immigration as Quebec has done, and ensure that we have an open and welcoming immigration and refugee system that is focused on bringing people to Alberta . . . focused on skilled labour, building our economy with people who are willing and able to learn the language and accept our basic values,” said Fildebrandt.
The MLA intends to seek the permanent party leadership and run in the riding of ChestermereStrathmore in the 2019 election. He said he is hopeful there will be other candidates in the leadership race but would not estimate how many party members will attend the convention.
Fildebrandt was barred from running for the UCP in February, with leader Jason Kenney accusing him of misleading the party over illegal hunting charges.
Kenney, a former immigration minister in the last federal Conservative government, has declined to comment on Bernier or the current debate around the issues of diversity and immigration.
The UCP leader will attend the Conservative convention in Halifax this weekend.
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer has distanced himself from Bernier, with the Quebec MP tweeting that the party told him to “shut up” over the issue.
Calgary MP Michelle Rempel, the Conservative immigration critic, said Wednesday in Ottawa that Bernier needs to decide whether he wants Scheer or Justin Trudeau to be prime minister after the next election.