This is Niki Ashton. She's an MP from Northern Manitoba and one of six candidates running to become leader of the federal NDP.
Many people, including other leadership candidates, congratulated Ashton on the good news.
This is such good news. Congratulations @nikiashton So pleased for you. https://t.co/ZNjS6dBvc1
Congrats @nikiashton! Excited to hear the beautiful news!!😃🎉🎉
But one conservative pundit, The Rebel's Brian Lilley, had a problem with the announcement. He really wanted Ashton to "admit" that she was "having a baby."
And people had questions.
@brianlilley @nikiashton What else would she be pregnant with? A pause? An elephant?
"What else would she be pregnant with? A pause? An elephant?" this person tweeted.
Are we still speculating on what/how/when @nikiashton is expecting? Is this a possibility?
And they had some helpful reading suggestions.
@brianlilley @nikiashton Hi Brian.
Seriously, Brian. What is the problem you're trying to address?
I’ve officially found the weirdest hill to die on or should I say, Lilley has conceived of some idiocy & is determi… https://t.co/sRz7okWO1B
Lilley, who is staunchly anti-abortion, later tweeted something of an explanation. Sort of?
Glad to see all of the lefties telling me that "expecting" means having a baby or a child. Normally they call refer to "a clump of cells."
Ashton herself eventually responded to Lilley, telling him that she was indeed going to give birth. "Hope that clears things up," she said.
💯 can confirm I am expecting to give birth. Hope that clears things up, @brianlilley
So there you have it.
UPDATE
Lilley later offered Ashton an "unreserved apology" on his talk radio show on Ottawa's 580 CFRA.
Lilley said he was sorry "for taking the personal and making it political and going too far."