Rebel News Podcast - Ezra interviews CPC leadership candidate Dr. Leslyn Lewis

00:00:00.000 Tonight, we interview the first candidate for the Conservative Party leadership.

00:00:19.280 I sit down with Dr. Leslyn Lewis.

00:00:22.320 It's February 17th, and this is The Ezra Levant Show.

00:00:25.520 Why should others go to jail when you're a biggest carbon consumer I know?

00:00:31.300 There's 8,500 customers here, and you won't give them an answer.

00:00:35.380 The only thing I have to say to the government about why I'm publishing it is because it's my bloody right to do so.

00:00:46.280 Well, the Conservative Party of Canada leadership race is underway, and it's quite strange already.

00:00:50.800 Andrew Scheer, the leader who resigned, actually has remained on as leader, and as a result, I think the party's fundraising and polls have slumped.

00:01:01.880 The A-list candidates that people had thought might run never materialized.

00:01:07.080 John Baird is the latest to dip his toe in the water and then say, no, not me.

00:01:11.460 Same with John Williamson and, of course, my favorite, Pierre Polyev.

00:01:15.720 So it feels like we've got the B-list trying out, and even that, well, they've tried to make it as hard as possible for people to throw their hat in the ring.

00:01:24.560 A $300,000 entry fee, rigorous requirements for signatures in hundreds of ridings, or at least 100 ridings, and a pretty quick election.

00:01:38.500 The final results will be released in June.

00:01:41.520 I don't know. I've got to say, I hope things perk up, but we here at Rebel News will cover it fairly and objectively, as we always do.

00:01:52.520 We have extended an invitation to all the leadership candidates to come by.

00:01:56.840 The first interview in my style is to be sort of friendly and biographical, and who are you?

00:02:01.200 Because they may not all be known to our viewers.

00:02:03.200 And then after that, as the issues perk up, we might get a little bit more prickly and focused.

00:02:07.700 But we want to be part of this because our Rebel viewers want us to be part of this.

00:02:13.020 I'm pleased to say that the first leadership candidate popped by our studio today.

00:02:17.840 Her name is Dr. Leslie Lewis, and here's how that went.

00:02:21.260 And joining us now in our studio, Dr. Leslie Lewis.

00:02:37.620 What a pleasure to meet you. Thanks very much for stopping by.

00:02:40.080 Likewise.

00:02:41.000 I have to tell you, I'm unfamiliar with you from my conservative travels, but I'm very excited by your candidacy.

00:02:48.540 Can you tell our viewers a little bit about yourself biographically?

00:02:52.360 Who are you, and why did you start to run?

00:02:55.280 Well, I'm a lawyer.

00:02:56.520 I've been practicing law for the last 20 years in the city of Toronto.

00:03:00.360 I started on Bay Street, and then I started my own firm thereafter.

00:03:05.140 And I practice areas, general litigation, and I have full-size practice with a number of lawyers and law clerks that practice with me.

00:03:14.160 I attended school in Toronto.

00:03:16.340 I attended the University of Toronto Trinity College and earned a bachelor's degree.

00:03:21.240 And then I went on to earn a master's of environmental studies at York University and an MBA concentration in business and the environment at the Schulich School.

00:03:31.000 And then I went also on to do a law degree, which enabled me to practice law.

00:03:36.500 And so that's a juris doctorate at Osgoode Hall Law School.

00:03:39.200 And recently I finished my Ph.D. in international law also at Osgoode Hall Law School.

00:03:45.120 That's the doctor part.

00:03:45.900 That's the doctor part, yes.

00:03:47.580 Well, that's an incredible resume.

00:03:50.340 Tell me about your politics, because I think the media party, as I call it, would look at you and say you don't fit their stereotype of a conservative voter, let alone a potential conservative leader.

00:04:05.560 What is it that makes you a conservative?

00:04:07.300 I think that's a misnomer that there's a certain stereotype for being a conservative.

00:04:13.820 My parents were immigrants and they came here and they worked really hard.

00:04:18.600 I never knew my parents working less than two jobs simultaneously, each of them.

00:04:23.000 And so they came here to make a better life for themselves and for their children.

00:04:27.680 And they had conservative values.

00:04:29.620 They had strong worth ethics.

00:04:31.320 I don't remember them ever calling in sick and being at home unless they had to go to the hospital or to a doctor's office.

00:04:38.900 And they just continued to build Canada and work hard and go after that Canadian dream.

00:04:45.480 And so I think that many immigrants have conservative values.

00:04:52.900 Some of the candidates who are running, I mean, there's only a couple others who have registered officially.

00:04:59.580 Long time conservatives.

00:05:02.320 I mean, Peter McKay, second generation conservative, you could say.

00:05:05.700 Aaron O'Toole was an MP under Stephen Harper.

00:05:08.260 How are you going to spread the word about yourself and about your candidacy, given that the race is pretty quick?

00:05:16.480 I mean, the final vote is in June and the cutoff for people to join is in April.

00:05:22.600 How are you going to do it?

00:05:24.240 What's your strategy or what's your message?

00:05:26.220 How are you going to get the attention away from people who know the name McKay, who might know the name O'Toole, but don't know the name Leslyn Lewis?

00:05:34.560 Well, Peter McKay and Aaron O'Toole, they do have a different history than I do.

00:05:39.000 They had parents that were involved in politics and my parents were just working class immigrants.

00:05:44.660 So I kind of had to find my own way.

00:05:47.060 And my parents were actually liberals.

00:05:48.700 So I had to discover who I was on my own.

00:05:52.580 And when I looked at my values and I looked at what I believed in and I even looked at what my parents believed in, I realized that they weren't really liberals.

00:06:00.080 And that's how I identify myself as a conservative.

00:06:02.760 And I believe that I will resonate with the conservative base because of those values.

00:06:09.000 And so the conservative base will look at each of the contestants and say, what do they stand for?

00:06:15.180 Are they true blue conservative values?

00:06:17.720 And I think that I'm the closest to those true values.

00:06:20.800 And so the base will be attracted to me.

00:06:25.020 I first heard of your candidacy from Dr. Charles McVitie, who's a Christian conservative.

00:06:29.700 He was very excited about you running.

00:06:33.200 Can you describe where you stand on some of those issues?

00:06:37.300 I know that for the media party, that's sort of a trap or a trick question.

00:06:42.620 They're trying to do a gotcha.

00:06:44.040 I hate that about how the CBC or other media party journalists do it.

00:06:49.060 But there are real questions about where you and anyone else would stand on them.

00:06:54.200 How would you describe yourself on issues that, say, Dr. McVitie would care about?

00:07:00.320 Well, I can't really speak for Dr. McVitie.

00:07:03.080 But I could tell you that on my beliefs is that in a free and democratic society, whatever my beliefs are, I'm entitled to them.

00:07:11.140 And I do not feel any shame about who I am and what my beliefs are.

00:07:16.340 And I think that everybody's entitled to their own beliefs and that we could respectfully disagree on many issues.

00:07:23.300 And that's what makes us such a great democracy.

00:07:26.640 So what are your core beliefs?

00:07:29.060 Well, I believe in things like strong family values.

00:07:33.420 I believe in fiscal conservatism.

00:07:35.820 I believe that we could develop our natural resources while protecting the environment.

00:07:42.340 I believe in a free economy.

00:07:45.060 I believe that we should have strong gun laws that don't target law-abiding gun owners but go after criminals.

00:07:54.240 I believe in protecting our borders.

00:07:56.360 I believe that we should have sustainable immigration and not immigration levels that burden our nation.

00:08:05.860 How have you been received so far by what I've been calling the media party?

00:08:11.300 You're the third official authorized candidate, if I'm using the terms right.

00:08:16.360 So you've already met high standards.

00:08:18.940 It's very difficult to be a candidate in this race, isn't it?

00:08:21.640 You need to raise $300,000 and get thousands of signatures.

00:08:25.040 I take it you've been interviewed by other media.

00:08:28.620 Is that right?

00:08:29.120 How have other journalists treated you?

00:08:32.040 Well, actually, you're my first real interview.

00:08:34.640 Are you serious?

00:08:35.560 Well, I've had one other interview, but that is not a mainstream media.

00:08:42.680 So, well, now I'm grateful and it's nice to have you here.

00:08:46.860 And I think a lot of our Rebel viewers will be conservative voters.

00:08:50.260 Right.

00:08:50.840 And I'm getting to know you.

00:08:52.100 This is the first time we've ever met.

00:08:53.760 And I think it's probably the first time a lot of our viewers have ever met you.

00:08:57.980 But I've seen your name on social media.

00:09:00.740 Right.

00:09:01.160 And it's correct that you're the third authorized candidate, right?

00:09:04.420 Absolutely.

00:09:04.940 That is correct.

00:09:05.680 And you have not yet been interviewed by the CBC or CTV or Global News.

00:09:10.760 Is that what you're saying?

00:09:12.180 No, that's absolutely correct.

00:09:13.540 That's absolutely correct.

00:09:14.380 I don't think I fit their narrative of what a conservative is supposed to be.

00:09:19.200 But surely they ought to just out of good form.

00:09:22.920 Okay.

00:09:23.120 Everyone who's an authorized candidate, we will at least say hello to them.

00:09:26.220 Have they reached out to you yet?

00:09:28.780 I would have to talk to my campaign manager about that.

00:09:31.460 But I do know that he's had to correct a number of media outlets who still won't even list my name.

00:09:39.360 Well, I'm not surprised.

00:09:41.820 Let me put it that way.

00:09:42.760 Let me ask you, when I asked you what you stood for, you said some statements of principle.

00:09:50.180 But they were things that I think a whole spectrum of politicians could say.

00:09:55.940 Balancing the environment, the economy, things like that.

00:09:58.820 I heard you loud and clear on manageable immigration levels that are not a burden.

00:10:03.760 So that has meaning.

00:10:04.900 But let me ask you, how would you distinguish yourselves?

00:10:08.500 And I'm not going to ask you to distinguish yourself from Justin Trudeau or Jagmeet Singh.

00:10:13.000 Because the test on June 27th is to distinguish yourself from the other conservatives.

00:10:18.220 So I'm not asking for you to disparage them or to talk them down in any ways.

00:10:22.640 But if I were to say, Dr. Lewis, can you tell me the difference between what you stand for and Peter McKay,

00:10:29.000 what you stand for and Erin O'Toole, in terms of policy?

00:10:32.640 Because I think that's what our viewers who are largely conservative voters would want.

00:10:38.420 Why are you different, other than your biographical story, on issues like, well, you tell me what issues would be different than that one.

00:10:46.300 Well, I think why I'm doing this is because I see a fundamental erosion of the Canadian dream.

00:10:54.000 And so I want to see the Canada that I grew up in be there for my children.

00:10:59.500 And so I will take courageous steps.

00:11:02.580 I will have a campaign that's based on courage, compassion and common sense.

00:11:08.280 And that means that I will not be afraid to take on tough issues, such as immigration and such as developing our natural resources

00:11:17.580 and creating jobs in Alberta and dealing with economic regional disparities.

00:11:23.680 So those are issues that I'm prepared to take on because I see that the Canadian dream is being eroded.

00:11:29.900 You mentioned that you have a degree in environmental or maybe two degrees in environmental studies.

00:11:36.060 But you certainly studied it.

00:11:37.580 Yes.

00:11:39.920 Does that inform your views on things like the carbon tax, the theory of man-made global warming or limiting pipelines or oil sands?

00:11:52.120 Tell me what your views are on, for example, the oil sands and pipelines and carbon taxes.

00:11:59.820 Okay, well, let's start with carbon tax.

00:12:02.180 There are different ways to deal with the environment.

00:12:04.480 You can do it from a punitive perspective, which is a tax or a fine, or you can do it through behavioural modification.

00:12:12.640 I believe that if you're going to try and change behaviour, it has to come through education.

00:12:18.540 And so many people don't understand how intricately related to the economy, the environment is.

00:12:26.280 And so a knee-jerk reaction like a carbon tax could be imposed.

00:12:30.820 But you have to look about whether or not that is efficient, because in order for you to actually change behaviour through the carbon tax, the tax would have to be about 40 times higher.

00:12:41.980 So then it's clear that we're not trying to change behaviour, we're trying to punish.

00:12:47.500 And so I would eliminate the carbon tax, because I believe that it's an unnecessary burden on the economy, on small and medium-sized businesses, which generate 80% of the jobs for all Canadians.

00:13:00.680 And it is also a major burden on the average individual who's just struggling to make ends meet.

00:13:08.420 Are you in favour of the pipelines that are currently in controversy, the Trans Mountain Expansion Pipeline and the Coastal Gas Link Pipeline?

00:13:18.560 Do you support the construction of those?

00:13:20.400 I do, because I believe that that will embolden the economy.

00:13:24.660 And I believe that if the pipelines are developed across the country, you will see a splinter of manufacturing jobs emanating from that development.

00:13:34.780 And so we will deal with a lot of the issues, the social issues that surround joblessness and unemployment.

00:13:43.280 One of the issues we care about here at Rebel News is freedom of speech.

00:13:46.740 Even freedom of speech that's sometimes uncomfortable or offensive.

00:13:51.180 We believe that there's too much censorship.

00:13:55.220 Cancel culture even, people being deplatformed.

00:13:58.360 Do you think that's an important issue?

00:14:00.380 And if so, how would you address this cultural move towards silencing people versus how I think it used to be done, which is debating people?

00:14:10.580 Well, I think in a free and democratic society, it's very important for us to maintain healthy levels of dissent.

00:14:19.440 And I think that's what democracy is about.

00:14:21.800 So when we attempt to control people's thoughts, control people's speech, then you have people feeling unsafe and people feeling that their way of living is going to be undermined in some way.

00:14:36.800 And so I think it's very important that, especially the government, facilitate an environment where people are free to disagree, even if they're wrong.

00:14:46.500 Foreign affairs seems to have taken on a large, probably a larger proportion of Justin Trudeau's work than I think a lot of people would have imagined a few years ago.

00:15:00.860 So the ongoing battle with China over the CFO of Huawei, who was arrested here, the two Canadian hostages over there, Iran, even renegotiating the NAFTA.

00:15:18.220 Are there any principles or policies on foreign affairs that are important to you?

00:15:23.440 Is there something that you think Canada's doing particularly wrong or particularly right?

00:15:28.080 Do you have strong views on any foreign affairs subject?

00:15:30.860 I think in general, when you look at foreign affairs, you have to look at what is our interest in the global scheme of things.

00:15:40.440 And so even something as giving aid, we have to look at what are we doing in Canada?

00:15:46.320 Are we giving aid abroad to have clean water and clean air?

00:15:51.880 And can we say that we have those same amenities on every aspect, every outlet in Canada?

00:15:59.500 Can we say that the First Nations people also enjoy clean water?

00:16:04.140 And if we can't, then I don't believe that we should be going around the globe trying to save the world when we haven't looked inside our country to see how we could best be our best.

00:16:15.180 Do you think that the United Nations and other global governments like that are too powerful and too invasive in Canada?

00:16:23.680 Or do you think that we have the balance right?

00:16:26.440 Well, I think that Canadian sovereignty is being eroded.

00:16:30.080 When I look at something like the immigration compact and I see that the United Nations has told us how to define people who are coming into our country through a method that is not a traditional border passing.

00:16:51.940 And the United Nations has stated that those individuals are to be deemed irregular rather than illegal.

00:17:00.320 To me, that undermines our national sovereignty.

00:17:04.540 As a nation, we should be able to dictate who comes through our borders.

00:17:10.020 We should be able to dictate the type of immigrants that we want and that we need in order to sustain and to build our country. 0.99

00:17:17.720 And when the United Nations imposes those standards on a nation, it means that our sovereignty is being eroded.

00:17:27.080 If you were to be successful and become the Conservative leader, what do you think would be the most rewarding line of attack against Justin Trudeau?

00:17:40.360 What do you think the emphasis of the next, I don't know, let's say it's two years until the next election.

00:17:47.300 We don't know in this minority parliament.

00:17:49.560 Is he vulnerable?

00:17:50.740 Is it on ethics?

00:17:51.880 Is it on spending?

00:17:53.400 Is it on culture?

00:17:54.740 Is it on immigration?

00:17:56.820 What do you think his weak spot is?

00:17:58.780 All of the above.

00:18:00.420 All of the above, I would say.

00:18:02.500 But it's just, is it resonating with people?

00:18:05.460 And I think that right now when we're seeing the level of homelessness, we're seeing the level of unaffordable homes.

00:18:14.980 We see young people, millennials, graduating from school and not having jobs.

00:18:20.540 And even if they are employed, they are underemployed in lower income wages, jobs.

00:18:28.240 And they are, the Canadian dream is slipping away for them.

00:18:33.160 They're living in their parents' basements.

00:18:35.840 And so when we see this in society and, you know, we look at even our seniors who at the last stage of their life, they should be taken care of.

00:18:47.360 And yet we are having long wait lists for palliative care.

00:18:52.840 And we look at our veterans who are not being dealt with properly.

00:18:56.480 And so we see that the social safety nets that we've had are falling apart.

00:19:01.960 And so I think it's resonating with people now that the fluff and the beautiful language that Trudeau uses is not transferring into prosperity for the average Canadian.

00:19:16.320 In my view, and I've used the phrase media party several times in our conversation, the way the media handles conservatives is as powerful as how the liberals handle conservatives.

00:19:33.100 I think that the media, I call it a media party because I think it's just as dominant and it has a coherent ideology.

00:19:41.740 Well, if you were to become the conservative leader, how would you deal with the liberal bias in the media?

00:19:49.240 The fact that in addition to the CBC, you now have newspapers taking a government bailout.

00:19:55.040 How would you get your message out when most journalists seem to be left of center?

00:20:01.640 Well, I think that there has to be a balance in how we fund the media.

00:20:06.900 And during the last election, we saw one media outlet actually launch a lawsuit during the election.

00:20:13.640 And that sends a very strong message to the public.

00:20:16.520 It sends a message as to where you stand politically.

00:20:20.180 And when I was younger, the media, you know, journalists, they read the news.

00:20:25.520 That's what my parents used to say.

00:20:26.640 They read the news.

00:20:27.860 But nowadays, it's all based on opinions.

00:20:31.480 And so we have a lot of alternative media.

00:20:35.140 And especially in the younger generation, they receive a lot of their information via the Internet.

00:20:41.840 And so I think it's time that we started funding alternative media equally to what we're doing to conventional media.

00:20:50.640 And so the funds may need to be spread out evenly to reflect a new reality.

00:20:56.000 Well, we'll never take money here at Rebel News.

00:20:58.520 My argument would be that any funding automatically comes with strings attached.

00:21:03.700 But let me ask you, I've been thinking about Stephen Harper because things in the conservative moment felt more orderly under him.

00:21:15.220 His coalition split apart a little bit.

00:21:17.380 Maxine Bernier split off with the People's Party.

00:21:21.240 And the conservatives, I don't know where the focus of the party is.

00:21:25.440 Is there anything about Stephen Harper's prime minister as leader that you think is worth replicating?

00:21:34.300 Was there anything about his years as prime minister that you think we need to get back to?

00:21:40.320 Or do you think that's a different era and we should have a new direction?

00:21:44.600 What are your thoughts on the last successful conservative prime minister?

00:21:48.240 Well, actually, I think because he was an economist, he had excellent economic policies.

00:21:53.680 And so, of course, I think any successful conservative would model some of those policies.

00:21:59.640 But aside from that, he had a way of balancing the various beliefs and rights of members in the party.

00:22:08.840 And so we didn't have this divide between progressive conservative and social conservative that we currently have.

00:22:16.040 And I think that it was just a matter of getting everybody to respectfully recognize the other's perspective.

00:22:28.560 There's been some talk about whether or not a conservative leadership candidate, a conservative leader needs to speak French.

00:22:36.760 What's your view on that?

00:22:38.020 And do you speak French?

00:22:39.540 Well, I have started French lessons two months ago.

00:22:44.660 And so my French is at a, I would say, an intermediate level.

00:22:49.320 And I'm working very hard at making sure that I can communicate in both official languages.

00:22:55.300 And that's the requirement that is set now.

00:22:57.680 And so my goal is to meet and exceed that requirement.

00:23:01.660 Is there anyone out there who you would regard as a role model?

00:23:07.680 Is there someone who, over the years, either in your personal life or in politics, you say, I want to be like them?

00:23:15.820 Well, I think there are a number of people throughout history that you would look at as role models.

00:23:21.080 But the way Stephen Harper ran the government, I think, was very, very effective.

00:23:27.180 And we had a unified conservative party.

00:23:30.900 And so I'd like to see us go back to that.

00:23:33.160 I also am very impressed with someone like Brian Mulroney because he also was not a career politician.

00:23:39.800 And so I admire that.

00:23:41.580 And I also admire the way he was able to stand up to the entire world against apartheid.

00:23:47.600 Well, the last question for you is, you know, there's a phrase that campaign strategists sometimes use, the ballot question.

00:23:55.540 You know, you can have an opinion on 20 different subjects.

00:23:57.700 But when you finally get into that place where you're going to mark an X, what is the on-off, yes-no reason you make an X by your name instead of by the names of the other candidates?

00:24:10.620 If there's one question or one point or one call to arms that you would like conservative voters to have when they choose the leader, something that defines you as a candidate, what would it be?

00:24:23.380 That I will create a prosperous Canada for all Canadians.

00:24:27.140 All right.

00:24:28.000 Well, Dr. Lewis, it's a pleasure to meet you.

00:24:29.780 And thank you for making us your first media visit, although it sounds like that's partly because the other media are refusing to talk to you, which does not surprise me.

00:24:38.840 But we'll send this video.

00:24:40.960 We'll put it on YouTube and we'll send it to our viewers across the country for them to size you up.

00:24:47.640 It's a first interview, a get-to-know-you kind of interview.

00:24:50.460 I'm sure we'll talk again on the campaign trail.

00:24:52.300 Now, if people want to go to your website to join your team, I understand you still have to meet certain thresholds for signing up members.

00:25:00.500 What's the website for them to go to?

00:25:02.420 It's www.leslynlewis.ca.

00:25:07.360 Great.

00:25:07.820 We'll put that on the bottom of the screen.

00:25:09.060 Well, it's a pleasure to meet you.

00:25:09.980 Thank you.

00:25:10.240 Thank you so much, Ezra.

00:25:11.560 Good luck to you on the campaign trail.

00:25:13.360 Well, there you have it.

00:25:14.280 Then it'll be our goal to interview the rest of the conservative candidates over the course of the campaign.

00:25:22.180 Some of them are well-known, as we've mentioned.

00:25:24.500 Others are newcomers.

00:25:26.540 Our style, as it was in the last leadership contest, is to have an opening sort of biographical interview.

00:25:34.080 And then as the campaign heats up, to talk about different issues along the way.

00:25:38.460 Until next time, on behalf of all of us here at Rebel World Headquarters, to you at home, good night.

00:25:44.280 And keep fighting for freedom.

Rebel News Podcast - February 18, 2020

Ezra interviews CPC leadership candidate Dr. Leslyn Lewis

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