A presumed frontrunner in the Conservative leadership race, Erin O’Toole, released his campaign’s promotional video this week. Observers took note of the catch-phrase he employed in his announcement: “Take Canada Back.”

Critics were quick to point out the similarities of not only his catch-phrase with those of other far-right political campaigns.

"Take Canada Back" appears to be hybrid of two incredibly effective populist slogans. "Take back control" (Brexit) and MAGA (Trump). It speaks directly and simply to the new ordered populist ethos. — Frank Graves (@VoiceOfFranky) January 29, 2020

It wasn’t only his slogan. O’Toole’s rhetoric also included subtle nativist and xenophobic dog-whistles that were common during the Brexit and Trump 2016 campaigns.

Adopting the campaign slogan “Take Canada Back” while saluting a white supremacist who famously sought to protect Canada’s “Aryan character” from other races is NOT a very subtle dogwhistle!!! — Michael Bueckert ?? (@mbueckert) January 29, 2020

Others were left wondering who exactly the Conservatives plan on taking Canada back from.

This #TakeCanadaBack rhetoric is dangerous and irresponsible. Take it back from whom? Nobody has taken it, and there are no plots and conspiracies. #cdnpoli — Rev. Michael Coren (@michaelcoren) January 27, 2020

Take Canada "back." From who exactly? Did someone steal Canada and we didn't notice? Was it Russia? The Rand corporation? The reverse vampire people?



This line of rhetoric is always baffling to me. "Take the country back." It didn't go anywhere! https://t.co/uLqaKqVuSj — Grant LaFleche (@GrantRants) January 27, 2020

Take Canada back?



From whom? The citizens who elected the lawful Government?



Seriously. Listen to yourself.



I really had hoped you wouldn't do this crap. https://t.co/Zd1HR5M68L — Scribulatora (@Scribulatora) January 27, 2020

Unfortunately for O’Toole, Canadians immediately saw through what his campaign team had probably hoped would be a sly turn of phrase that appealed to the Conservative base.

Gotta admit, Canada's not perfect. Canada's got multiple problems to fix. But anybody who says that they want to Take Canada Back, or Make Canada Great Again by stopping "leftist" policies is not someone who has the interests of the people, but the interests of corporations. — That Elf Nerd ? (@ThatElfNerd) January 27, 2020

This tweet suggesting the conservatives need to "take Back Canada" is very disturbing rhetoric from a lawyer and former military officer who should know better https://t.co/aExvvxukfU — jack mcgraw (@redmcgraw1) January 27, 2020

Add your name if you oppose the new far-right Conservative leader Erin O’Toole.

He says he wants to “take back Canada” echosing Trump’s rhetoric. We cannot let that happen