Pierre Poilievre 'does not agree' with 'straight pride' message in photo at Stampede

A spokesman for Pierre Poilievre said Monday the federal Conservative leader does not agree with the message of "straight pride," after he was photographed with a man wearing a T-shirt bearing those words.

A spokesman for Pierre Poilievre said Monday the federal Conservative leader does not agree with the message of "straight pride," after he was photographed with a man wearing a T-shirt bearing those words.

Sebastian Skamski said Poilievre had been posing with "hundreds of people" at the Calgary Stampede on Saturday when he was photographed with an individual "without reading what was written on his shirt."

The bright green T-shirt featured the symbols for men and women that are often posted to the doors of public restrooms.

It said, "Thank a straight person today for your existence," in black capital letters, with "straight pride" written at the bottom.

Skamski said that "Poilievre does not agree with the message displayed on the T-shirt," adding that Conservatives are working to build a country where everyone is free to be themselves, "regardless of their sexual orientation."

Poilievre said in June that he saw Pride Month as celebrating "freedom from bigotry" and the right to be viewed as an individual instead of being lumped together in a group identity.

Poilievre and other political leaders, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, kept up the tradition of joining pancake breakfasts and other public events at Stampede over the weekend.