Poilievre denies speaking with anti-immigration German politician

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Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is denying that he has ever spoken with controversial far-right German politician Christine Anderson, despite her claims that they have conversed on more than one occasion, and that she found him to be a “decent guy.”

“Mr. Poilievre has never spoken to Christine Anderson, and any suggestion that he has is categorically false,” Sebastian Skamski, media relations director for the Office of the Leader of the Official Opposition, said in a statement on Sunday.

Last week, three Conservative MPs confirmed that they had met with Ms. Anderson, who was touring Canada at the time. She sits in the European Parliament and is a member of Alternative for Germany, a right-wing populist party that has espoused anti-immigrant views.

In a statement on Friday, Mr. Poilievre condemned Ms. Anderson’s politics as “vile.”

“Frankly, it would be better if Anderson never visited Canada in the first place. She and her racist, hateful views are not welcome here,” he added.

The three MPs – Haldimand-Norfolk MP Leslyn Lewis, Oshawa MP Colin Carrie and Niagara West MP Dean Allison – said they were unaware of Ms. Anderson’s politics when they met her and posed with her for a photo that was posted on social media. The meeting has caused alarm among Jewish groups and others concerned about Ms. Anderson’s party, also known as Alternative fur Deutschland, or AfD.

In a Feb. 19 video taken during Ms. Anderson’s Canadian tour and posted on the website of Western Standard magazine, she is asked about Mr. Poilievre.

“I have spoken to him a couple of times. He seems to be a decent guy,” she says, adding that there is a need for politicians who act in the best interests of voters.

Ms. Anderson did not respond to an e-mail seeking clarification on her remarks.

AfD was founded in 2013, and has since gained traction in Germany with a message that has, at times, trivialized the Nazi dictatorship and the Holocaust. The party has denounced former chancellor Angela Merkel for welcoming more than a million refugees, mostly from Syria, and expressed support for Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Ms. Anderson chronicled her visit to Canada on her Twitter account. One post referenced a Feb. 18 visit to Calgary, which she called “an overwhelming experience.”

“So many friendly faces & great people fighting for #freedom, #democrcy & self-determination,” she added.

Ms. Anderson tweeted about having received a white cowboy hat during her time in Calgary, but did not provide details. Such hats are often presented to dignitaries who visit the city.

On Sunday night, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek tweeted that neither Tourism Calgary nor the Calgary Stampede had given Ms. Anderson a white hat. “And I think it’s pretty clear that I don’t endorse her views in any manner,” Ms. Gondek wrote.

The mayor noted that Ms. Anderson had appeared at an event held at the Calgary Petroleum Club. Ms. Gondek wrote that it would be “interesting to see” what the club has to say about this.

Representatives of the Calgary Petroleum Club did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

Ms. Anderson tweeted that she met on Feb. 20 with, among others, Tamara Lich, a key organizer of the Ottawa convoy protest. There is a photo of the encounter.

That same day, Ms. Anderson tweeted about participating in a Hamilton, Ont., protest that marked the convoy’s anniversary. “It’s official now: I AM A FREEDOM TRUCKER!” she wrote. She also reposted a photo from the Twitter account of former federal Conservative cabinet minister Maxime Bernier, who is now leader of the People’s Party of Canada. Ms. Anderson said it was a pleasure to meet him.

In a tweet on his own account, Mr. Bernier said Ms. Anderson is an “honorary member” of his party.

There is no reference on Ms. Anderson’s Twitter account to meeting the three Conservative MPs.