Stephen Harper’s controversial pledge to consider imposing a ban on the niqab in the public service may be opening up a split within his own party ranks.

Damian Konstantinakos, the Conservative candidate in Ottawa-Centre, told an all-candidates’ debate on October 1 that while he supported the idea of banning the veil in citizenship ceremonies, he drew the line at extending the ban to the workplace.

“I personally feel that we should not be regulating what people wear in their daily life, etcetera, and so I’m sure Dean (the Libertarian candidate) will be happy to hear that,” he said. “But for the ceremony itself, I mean — an oath means something. And otherwise — why do it? Why not phone it in? Why not simply write it down? Now it’s very reasonable, and most Canadians agree. And I personally think, anybody who wants a private ceremony with a female judge should be completely entitled to it. No matter what the circumstances.

“Now, and the rest of it, however, I fundamentally believe that they should be able to wear them in the workplace — they should be able to wear them everywhere. They should be able to wear them everywhere in their daily life. I think the wrong approach would be to, basically … to pass any kind of law that says you can’t wear these — wear a niqab — or really regulate it in any way. From a personal level that offends me.”

In an emailed response to iPolitics, Don Cummer — a campaign spokesperson — said Konstantinakos had nothing more to say on the niqab, but that he also felt the media misunderstood the prime minister’s position.

“Damian’s key issues in this campaign are the economy and national security, and he has nothing further to say about the niqab issue,” he wrote.

“The media seems to be misunderstand what the Prime Minister has stated when he says a Government government would take a look at the Quebec Government’s legislation [sic].”

His debate comments, however, seem to put the candidate at odds with his party leader and at least one member of the Conservative cabinet. Though the campaign debate on the niqab began over whether a Muslim woman should be forced to remove it during a citizenship ceremony, it escalated recently to embrace the idea of a ban covering the entire federal public service.

Treasury Board President Tony Clement ruled out a niqab ban in the public service when asked by iPolitics in March.

But on October 1 — the day Konstantinakos was debating his rivals in Ottawa-Centre — Employment Minister and Conservative candidate Pierre Poilievre said he wouldn’t rule out a ban on face coverings in the public service.

Harper himself has since reiterated that possibility.

“The Quebec government, the Liberal government in Quebec, has brought forward legislation to require that people reveal their identity when delivering or receiving frontline service. They have tabled a bill before the Quebec assembly, we’ve said we will look at that bill before taking further steps,” Harper said at a campaign stop in Saskatoon Wednesday.

Konstantinakos said he supported his party’s position on wearing the niqab during citizenship ceremonies — though in the most accommodating way possible — but said he was fundamentally opposed to a law that would ban them in the workplace.

Konstantinakos’ full response can seen below beginning around the 37.24 mark.