Federal Conservative leader Andrew Scheer talks to supporters during a barbecue at the Riverview Park and Zoo on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2019. Lance Anderson/Torstar

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer was once again pushed to defend his party’s policy on abortion, after the Liberals circulated a video on social media showing the Tory candidate in a key riding he was visiting Thursday speaking in favour of anti-abortion legislation.

Scheer spoke this morning at a daycare in the Toronto riding of York Centre, a toss-up electoral district that the Tories hope to snatch away from the Liberals next month.

But prior to his scheduled appearance, which was to focus on his pledge to offset taxes on EI maternity and parental benefits, Toronto-St. Paul’s Liberal candidate Carolyn Bennett posted a video on Twitter showing York Centre’s Tory candidate, Rachel Willson, being interviewed at the 2017 March for Life anti-abortion rally in Ottawa.

In the video, which was originally posted by an Christian Ottawa-area online publication, Willson said she was passionate about advancing the “pro-life” cause for more than a decade and that it was “shocking” there was no abortion laws in Canada. Willson also calls for a “national monument to the unborn in Canada.”

“Is the abortion debate really closed @AndrewScheer? You’ve chosen to launch your Toronto campaign today in York Centre, alongside your leading anti-choice candidate and campaigner,” Bennett tweeted.

Is the abortion debate really closed @AndrewScheer? You’ve chosen to launch your Toronto campaign today in York Centre, alongside your leading anti-choice candidate and campaigner. Her top priority is "ending abortion" and "advancing pro-life legislation." Just watch this: pic.twitter.com/zhXWMsrarX — Carolyn Bennett (@Carolyn_Bennett) September 12, 2019

In response to Bennett’s attack, Scheer said nothing has changed regarding the Tories’ position on abortion, that any Conservative government under him would vote against legislation reopening the issue but that individuals MPs would be allowed to table their own private members’ bills or advocate on the issue without rebuke.

“It’s not a surprise that the Liberals are once again trying to push this thing out. The only people who are continually trying to reopen this debate or fear mongering this issue are Liberals,” he said.

“I’m going to make a prediction: they’re going to continue to do this for 39 days, because they are desperate to change the channel on their scandals and corruption.”

But the latest video suggests abortion, among other social issues, will continue to stick to Scheer on the campaign trail whether he likes it or not — taking away opportunities to tout his platform promises and frustrating the Tory leader keen to frame the election around other issues.

The Liberals have portrayed Scheer and the Tories as untrustworthy and weak on committing to upholding a major pillar of women’s equality rights.

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, speaking to reporters this morning in Victoria, said women “need to know their leaders will be there to defend their rights.”

“That is something I’ve made clear on and I think it’s up to Canadians to determine whether or not other leaders have been equally clear,” he said.

READ MORE: Scheer says Tory MPs can vote freely on social issues, but won’t back efforts to re-open debates

Indeed, Scheer had leaned on the support of social conservatives during his 2017 campaign to become Conservative leader. He is also a devout Roman Catholic, and has made his anti-abortion views clear in the past.

Under pressure last month to address the party’s position on abortion, Scheer in a press conference was reluctant to offer his personal beliefs on the issue, suggesting they were irrelevant to his party’s policy.

Asked about whether she would support anti-abortion legislation in Parliament, Willson did not address the question directly, instead saying she remained “pro-life” but would focus on issues that “unite Canadians.”

“That’s what I’m hearing about at the doors. And that’s what our party will continue to focus on.”

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