Pierre Poilievre says WestJet passengers were 'delighted' by impromptu speech

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre says it's the union, not him, that should apologize over a controversy involving the speech he gave to passengers of a Calgary-bound WestJet flight using the aircraft's public address system.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre says it's the union, not him, that should apologize over a controversy involving the speech he gave to passengers of a Calgary-bound WestJet flight using the aircraft's public address system.

The Opposition leader responded to calls for an apology from CUPE Alberta about the speech after the union said it was unfairly blamed for allowing it to take place.

"I think the union should apologize for trying to silence freedom of speech," Poilievre told reporters in Vancouver on Thursday.

"The crew invited me to give a speech and they did that multiple times."

On Sunday night, Poilievre used the PA system on a WestJet flight bound for Calgary from Quebec City, where the Conservative Party of Canada held their annual convention.

The airline said the plane was specially scheduled for delegates from that meeting, but it was still a commercial flight.

Because of that reason, the leader's actions raised a number of questions, particularly from the union, which questioned in the appropriateness of Poilievre's use of the PA system.