Ambrose says she’s against Leitch’s proposal to screen for ‘anti-Canadian values’

OTTAWA – Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose told CTV that she doesn't support Kellie Leitch's proposal to screen new immigrants for "anti-Canadian values."

Leitch, a Conservative leadership hopeful, came under fire when her campaign sent out an online survey to supporters asking whether immigrants should be screened for "anti-Canadian'' values.

But the interim Opposition leader said on CTV's "Question Period" that she doesn't know what the screenings "would look like," noting that there are already criminal background checks in place for potential immigrants.

Ambrose also says she doesn't think it's something that Canadians would want to see implemented, and that she thought Leitch's proposal was "badly worded."

But Leitch doubled down on Friday, saying she intends to put forward policies that will make Canada safer and enhance what she calls a unified Canadian identity.

She said she would see potential immigrants screened for values like intolerance toward other religions and violent or misogynist behaviour.

"Canadians can expect to hear more, not less from me on this topic in the coming months," she said in Friday's statement.