Pierre Poilievre's speech aboard WestJet flight sparks strong reaction online
CTV
Passengers returning to Calgary from the Conservative Party national meeting in Quebec City on a WestJet flight Sunday evening got a surprise speech from party leader Pierre Poilievre.
Passengers returning to Calgary from the Conservative Party national meeting in Quebec City on a WestJet flight Sunday evening got a short, campaign-style address from party leader Pierre Poilievre.
"This is Pierre Poilievre," he said. "Happy to join you on a WestJet flight back to my hometown of Calgary," before making a mini-speech that lasted around 45 seconds.
Videos of it were posted on social media feeds Monday, resulting in both support for the opposition party leader and questions about whether it was appropriate for a party leader to speak on a public flight, as the flight was not a charter exclusively for Conservative Party supporters.
A WestJet spokesperson, replying to an email from CTV News, said that while it was a public flight, it was actually added in order to accommodate delegates flying to the Conservative Party convention in Quebec City.
"The flight was added to our schedule and advertised as a flight serving the CPC convention. As it was a commercial flight however, guests who booked the flight were not required to indicate if they were attending the convention and therefore we are unable to determine if there were guests onboard who were not attending.
"The use of the PA in this circumstance was approved in advance by WestJet operational leadership and up to the final determination of the operating crew."
It means those flying the plane and flight attendants working in the cabin agreed with the head office decision to approve Poilievre taking over the mic.
