The director of communications for Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said Wednesday that a campaign pledge to cut federal funding to university campuses that do not protect free speech does not apply to cases involving white supremacists.

On Twitter, Jake Enwright posted in response to a question posed by Maclean’s writer Paul Wells about whether Scheer would cut funding to a Canadian university if one were to make a call similar to the University of Florida’s decision this morning to deny a request by white supremacist Richard Spencer to speak on its campus.

“No Paul, of course not,” Enwright tweeted in response to the question.

No Paul, of course not. — Jake Enwright (@JakeREnwright) August 16, 2017

When asked by iPolitics to clarify whether that meant a university in Canada would be free to shut down an event featuring a white supremacist without the risk of losing access to federal funding, Enwright said, “Correct.”

Scheer campaigned on a promise that, if elected prime minister, he would punish public universities in Canada that do not protect “free speech” by preventing them from applying for grants from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Canada Research Chair program.

“If public universities fail to protect this most basic right, they will lose the ability to apply for federal funding,” he said in a campaign email to supporters earlier this year. Scheer argued that both the shutdown of an anti-choice demonstration at Wilfred Laurier University in April, and the decision of a student newspaper at McGill University to not print articles “which promote a Zionist worldview, or any other ideology which we consider to be oppressive,” constituted attacks on free speech.

In his acceptance speech on May 27, Scheer doubled down on that pledge.

“I will withhold federal grants from universities that shut down debate and can’t stand different points of view.”

Speaking on background, one Conservative party official said that any policy promise put forward must operate within the confines of Canadian law, which sets out clear definitions of things like hate speech that do not exist in United States law.

Scheer’s promise to protect free speech would be within the limits of what is actually legal in Canada, the official said.

However, U.S. right-wing commentator Ann Coulter — who has built a personal brand on espousing racial theories which many have said would violate Canadian hate speech laws — was warned before a planned 2010 speech at the University of Ottawa that she would need to modify her words or face criminal charges.

The speech ultimately was cancelled over security concerns. The incident still managed to raise questions about how policies promoting free speech could apply to individuals known for making comments that would be considered criminal in Canada — but who could, like Coulter, have the foresight to stop just short of crossing into hate speech during appearances at Canadian venues.

The last several months have seen outbreaks of violence south of the border as white supremacists clash with counter-protesters at demonstrations across the country. Pressure has been increasing on public institutions and officials to withhold platforms from individuals like Spencer who espouse racial violence and hate.

The death of 32-year-old Heather Heyer at a counter-protest against a march by white supremacists and neo-Nazis through Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday has only intensified that pressure.

An Ohio white supremacist who allegedly rammed his vehicle through a crowd of counter-protesters has been charged with second-degree murder in her death.

In Canada, questions about how best to address a growing tide of racist and hateful messages have dogged politicians of all stripes, particularly since the election and inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump — and a Conservative leadership race which saw candidate Kellie Leitch propose a controversial ‘values screening’ test for prospective immigrants.

While Canada has not yet seen the same rise in white supremacy the United States is experiencing, the shift in tone over the last year at the far-right outlet The Rebel from small-c conservative to Breitbart 2.0 — along with the outlet’s presence at the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville this weekend — prompted correspondent Brian Lilley to quit.

It also brought a wave of criticism from Canadian conservatives who stressed the need for their party to condemn racial violence and hate.

Conservative MP Michael Chong, who finished seventh in the party’s leadership race, announced he would no longer speak to The Rebel. Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel issued a series of tweets slamming those who pander to extremists for votes or online traffic.

5/ Flirting with or giving a wink and a nod to Nazism and white supremacy for clicks and likes is disgusting. — Michelle Rempel (@MichelleRempel) August 15, 2017

6/ We need voices who can criticize government and dogma. Messages that flirt with white supremacy delegitimize those voices. — Michelle Rempel (@MichelleRempel) August 15, 2017

Scheer also tweeted to condemn the violence in Charlottesville, although neither he nor Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called out white supremacists or neo-Nazis by name — as Trump was slammed for not doing in his initial statement on the incident — and referred instead to the trio of racism, violence and hate.

Conservatives condemn these acts of racism, violence and hatred. Prayers are with victims, their families, and people of #Charlottesville. — Andrew Scheer (@AndrewScheer) August 13, 2017

We know Canada isn’t immune to racist violence & hate. We condemn it in all its forms & send support to the victims in Charlottesville. — Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) August 13, 2017