Andrew Scheer says he “perplexed” by his Conservative leadership rival Kellie Leitch’s claim that he’s guilty of ‘elitism’.

“I certainly don’t recall being raised in an elitist household. We had a very middle-income lifestyle growing up and I’m not sure what she’s referring to. I’ll leave her to explain it,” Scheer told iPolitics in a phone interview from Saskatchewan.

“I’ve always represented every kind of constituent that I have in my riding and, of course, as leader will tackle issues that every demographic is concerned about. My campaign is focused on offering a positive vision for Conservatives and the country. We’re going to talk abut the wonderful effects of conservative values and principles and try to unify the party.

“I’m not going to engage in divisive tactics. If other candidates decide to do things like that, it’ll be up to the membership to decide.”

Scheer’s response comes after his campaign launch at Ottawa’s National Press Theatre Wednesday morning — which was attended by a decent chunk of the Conservative caucus — was excoriated in a Wednesday evening fundraising email sent by Leitch’s campaign manager, Nick Kouvalis.

Kouvalis’ email grouped Scheer, whom he didn’t mention by name, among the “out-of-touch elites” who questioned Leitch’s proposed values test for Canadian immigrants. (Answering a reporter’s question about the values test at his launch, Scheer said he didn’t think it was possible to “police what’s going on in people’s minds”.)

But it was the location of Scheer’s launch, in the National Press Theatre across from Parliament Hill, that really got Kouvalis’ goat.

“You didn’t read that wrong, they actually announced they were running for leader of our Party from the National Press Theatre across from Parliament Hill,” Kouvalis wrote.

Scheer said that line of attack left him particularly puzzled.

“We were making a public announcement in a space where every media outlet in the country can cover what goes on there. It made sense. We’re doing a rally here in Regina. That’s going to be in front of a couple hundred members of the party from all over the Regina area,” he said.

“I’m perplexed and I don’t really understand the point she’s trying to make, so I’ll leave it to her to explain it.”

Following question period Thursday, Leitch dispelled any doubts about whether Kouvalis was representing her views in the email. When asked, she attempted to define “elite” and “elitism” in the context of Scheer’s campaign launch and the National Press Theatre.

“You know what I mean … I think it’s an individual who doesn’t understand the grassroots of our party, who isn’t integrated in the grassroots of our party, isn’t integrated into the grassroots of Canadian culture. I’ve been asked about this several times,” she said.

“The fact of the matter is, I think that as much as the media might not want to hear it, most Canadians have never been to the National Press Gallery. Guys in downtown Estevan, and folks in downtown Fort McMurray.”

Leitch is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon and an associate professor with a doctorate in medicine from the University of Toronto. She appeared repeatedly on Ontario’s Sunshine List — introduced by the Mike Harris provincial government in 1996 to disclose the incomes of high-earning individuals — before being elected and joining Stephen Harper’s cabinet. Leitch said that her idea of “elite” has nothing to do with income.

“No. I’m not talking about an income level,” she said.