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People’s Party of Canada Leader Maxime Bernier is standing by a candidate faulted for social media posts calling for “more hate speech” to stave off a violent backlash to “leftist authoritarianism.”

Bernier said on Tuesday that he spoke to Carlton Trail—Eagle Creek candidate Cody Payant and was satisfied with his explanation. He said he believes Payant was taken out of context.

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“That candidate did nothing reprehensible,” said Bernier.

The controversy came after Payant posted a defence of free-speech activist Lindsay Shepherd on Twitter and Facebook about two weeks ago. Shepherd had been suspended from Twitter after an argument with trans activist Jessica Yaniv, where both levelled personal attacks at each other.

Payant then pivoted to criticizing “cowards” in the House of Commons who he believes are aiming to suppress free speech.

“Our country could use more hate speech, more offensive comments, more ‘micro-aggressions,’ more violation of safe spaces with words, and more critical thinking. Words are not violence and when we don’t have them to debate, and articulate our thoughts when communicating, then all we have left is guns,” he wrote.