Today Conservative candidates Chris Alexander and Dr. Kellie Leitch announced a new slate of promises focused on what the party deems "barbaric cultural practices" overseas and in Canada.
One item immediately struck a nerve: a new RCMP tip line to enable people to report "incidents of barbaric cultural practices in Canada or to notify authorities that a child or woman is at risk of being victimized."
Tories promise RCMP tip line for people to report neighbours for ‘barbaric cultural practices’ http://t.co/afscaCplJt
Dr. Leitch tweeted about the announcement and used the hashtag #BarbaricCulturalPractices.
Very proud to be in #Ajax this morning w/ @calxandr to announce strong new @CPC_HQ measures to fight #BarbaricCulturalPractices #elxn42
...And people quickly adopted the hashtag in order to call out the Conservatives for what they saw as an attempt to campaign on fear and division.
Dividing a nation and cultivating racial/religious animosity in an effort to hold on to power. #BarbaricCulturalPractices #elxn42
The Canadian election has gone full racist #BarbaricCulturalPractices
@CTVNews Disgusted by the new "tip line" announced today. Inspires fear mongering, and is completely un-Canadian. #BarbaricCulturalPractices
Others began highlighting what they deemed barbaric practices by the Conservative government.
Muzzling scientists so Canadians can't access the information they pay for. #BarbaricCulturalPractices #elxn42 #cdnpoli
Calling refugees terrorists and letting them die rather than admitting them into our country. #BarbaricCulturalPractices #elxn42 #cdnpoli
#barbaricculturalpractices = Indian Residential School policy.
#BarbaricCulturalPractices - claiming that over 1,000 missing/murdered Indigenous Women is 'just not on your radar'. #Cdnpoli
This. THIS. People in Canada do not have water. Talk about your #BarbaricCulturalPractices https://t.co/sVGdTXBmoy
Destroying the Charter. Gutting CBC. Ignoring Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women. not honouring Treatys. All #BarbaricCulturalPractices
Or to point to specific actions by Conservative candidates.
#Tory candidate urinating in homeowner's coffee mug http://t.co/R1VxuVOl46 #BarbaricCulturalPractices #elxn42 #canpoli #CPC #StopHarper
Want a record of #BarbaricCulturalPractices look at Edmonton-Wetaskiwin voting records of Mike Lake #lgbt #prochoice
Others took a more satirical approach, listing barbaric practices such as playing Bon Jovi too loud or whipping out a guitar at a party.
Capri pants on men. #BarbaricCulturalPractices
My neighbour plays Bon Jovi way too fucking loud. #barbaricCulturalPractices https://t.co/fgE3cUbtkz
Using residential streets as commuter shortcuts #BarbaricCulturalPractices
Bags on seats in crowded transit. #BarbaricCulturalPractices https://t.co/nuTWzJgy86
journalism school #BarbaricCulturalPractices
Tim Hortons #BarbaricCulturalPractices
Does wearing these torture devices come under the heading of #BarbaricCulturalPractices ?
leaving like a centimeter of milk in the bag cause you're too lazy to change it #BarbaricCulturalPractices
that guy at the party who starts playing the acoustic guitar even though no one fucking asked #BarbaricCulturalPractices
This guy managed to sum up both approaches.
I'm calling the #BarbaricCulturalPractices tipline immediately. There's a man trying to win #elxn42 by pitting Canadians against each other.
Meanwhile, this conservative consultant took the opportunity to tell everyone why their sarcastic/satirical tweets were only helping the Conservative cause.
Losing twitter strategy: trending #BarbaricCulturalPractices sarcastically, drawing attention to CPC policy that's supported by 86% of CDNs.
Your future RCMP barbaric cultural practices tip line operators are standing by.
