Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch says her enthusiasm for Donald Trump does not make her a racist. Leitch arrives at the national Conservative summer caucus retreat, in Halifax in a Sept. 13, 2016, file photo. Leitch says she has been the victim of an apparent break-in attempt at her home in Creemore, Ont. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew VaughanThe Canadian Press
Federal Conservative leadership candidate Kellie Leitch says she has been the victim of an apparent break-in attempt at her home in Creemore, Ont.
In a statement Sunday night, Leitch says she was notified by a volunteer in her riding association that someone was purporting to know her address and was offering it up online to anyone who she says was "interested in doing me harm."
Leitch, who has said she shares some ideas on immigration with U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, says the "threatening activity" was reported to Ontario Provincial police on Friday night.
Leitch says her home alarm sounded early Saturday and as she left the house to wait for police she noticed the garage lights were on, but they had been turned off by the time officers arrived, and no intruder was found.
She said the entry closest to the garage was found to have been the trigger for the alarm and the officers speculated that someone trying to gain entry could have set the alarm off.
The Ontario MP attended the luncheon portion of a leadership debate in Greely, Ont., on Sunday but she left before the debate. Spokesman Bradley Breton said Leitch left to meet with a private security consultant.
"My campaign team is taking further steps at my expense to enhance security at my home and on the campaign," Leitch said.
During an exchange Sunday on CTV's Question Period, Ontario MP Michael Chong — who also is running for the Conservative leadership — suggested Leitch was importing the divisive style practised by Trump.
Leitch, who also has proposed screening newcomers for Canadian values, told Question Period that her enthusiasm for Trump does not make her a racist.
Leitch has attracted headlines — and some barbs from other leadership contenders — for her immigration screening proposal, which she has yet to flesh out.
"I am not a racist," Leitch said during the CTV segment. "I am not a person who's out groping other individuals. I do not do those things and I don't think that the Canadians who support the ideas I'm talking about do those types of things."