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These ideas have been championed by former UK Prime Minister David Cameron and a myriad of thinkers on the right in the United States. More recently, it has been a flagship of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio who has styled it as “common good capitalism,” which tries to ensure large corporations are benefiting workers rather than just focusing solely on accumulating profits.

Although Kenney would support a rethink of the federal Conservative Party’s ideas, he has solidly backed leader Andrew Scheer amid questions about his leadership.

I guess I should be flattered that they think I'm some kind of Svengali-like genius

With Scheer facing constant questions during the campaign about his views on same-sex marriage and abortion, even some conservatives have made the argument that it’s no longer possible for someone with social conservative views to run successfully as leader. Kenney cautioned against assuming everyone who is devoutly religious has socially conservative views.

“I think we should tread carefully before excluding people of faith from the public square and from public life,” said Kenney. “I think that Canadians pride themselves on the pluralistic nature of our democracy and it’s not pluralism if it excludes people of faith.”

A recent poll from the Angus Reid Institute found 63 per cent of Canadians say they are neutral about the idea of a candidate being a person of faith but that 22 per cent say it repels them, with 14 per cent saying it attracts them to that candidate.

The poll also found that Canadians are extremely skeptical of promises from people of faith that they won’t let their personal views interfere with how they govern the country.