Thank you, and I appreciate the admonition.
I appreciate that this is not something that should be discussed at this meeting. This is the very type of thing that Mr. Leslie has brought up and put in social media about me before and had his trolls then attack me—some threatening and some just misogynistic. I do feel I should respond, because that was a perfect example.
What I was speaking of at that meeting was the fact that Mr. Leslie referred to a demonstration that was forming around the flame and that was going to be marching on the Senate, where two women, who had already been harassed and threatened by Conservative members, were sitting.
It reminded me greatly of the language that was used by Mr. Leslie when he said they would be marching on the Senate. It reminded me of other phrases like that, which have been used by other people who had tried to disrupt the proper functioning of governments. I was concerned that the women senators would be further harassed and further threatened by this. That is why I refer to that. I, at no time, indicated that farmers did not have the right to protest.
As you very well know, I come from a farming family. In fact, a witness was here the other day, who was part of my family. I have worked on farms. I have a Dutch background. My grandfather was a farmer, and many of my cousins, uncles and aunts are farmers. I respect farmers, and I respect the right to protest. What I do not like is hearing that some gathering is being orchestrated by an ex-lobbyist to march on the Senate to threaten senators and tell them what to do. That is not the proper functioning of government, and that was what I was objecting to.
Mr. Leslie, given we've had this conversation now, I would greatly appreciate it if you clip this and post this as well so that your constituents and those trolls that follow me could know what I actually was saying.
Thank you.