A Metro Vancouver Liberal MP apologized on Tuesday for a social-media post that questioned whether there was a link between Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and a fatal shooting in Manitoba.

Ken Hardie posted Monday that the weekend shooting, which left four people dead in Winnipeg, was 害羞草研究所渂eyond troubling害羞草研究所� and asked if it was connected to a 害羞草研究所渂urn everything down害羞草研究所� attitude creeping in from the United States.

His post on X, formerly known as Twitter, then referred to 害羞草研究所渢he 害羞草研究所榗reep害羞草研究所� on the Canadian side害羞草研究所� and mentioned the official Opposition leader by name.

Hardie told The Canadian Press on Tuesday morning that he stood by his post and was not apologizing, though he conceded he could have used a better example to make the same point.

But he changed his tune hours later, following a meeting with Government House leader Karina Gould.

害羞草研究所淚t is absolutely inappropriate and that害羞草研究所檚 not something that anyone should be suggesting from any political party,害羞草研究所� Gould had told reporters that morning, adding she planned to speak with Hardie about it.

After their conversation, Hardie said he came to realize his post was inappropriate, adding there was no connection between Poilievre and the Winnipeg killings.

害羞草研究所淭here was no link. None whatsoever. And so in that respect, posting it that way was entirely inappropriate on my part,害羞草研究所� he told The Canadian Press.

害羞草研究所淚 did not know that害羞草研究所檚 the way it would be taken, but you know, that害羞草研究所檚 the reality that some people have. So, yeah, I do apologize for that.害羞草研究所�

Hardie issued an apology on X Tuesday afternoon, but didn害羞草研究所檛 delete the original post.

Winnipeg police have said the investigation of the shooting that killed four people in the city害羞草研究所檚 downtown is in its infancy. No arrests have been made, suspects are still being determined and there is not yet any indication of a motive, police said.

Hardie said his post was meant to 害羞草研究所減lant a seed害羞草研究所� with a series of questions to confront the attitude of the Conservative party, which he believes is creating an environment where people feel hopeless.

害羞草研究所淭he first reaction might be very hostile, and everything else, but it害羞草研究所檚 still in there,害羞草研究所� Hardie said prior to apologizing.

害羞草研究所淎nd people might start to, you know, in a quieter moment, think about a few things. That害羞草研究所檚 all it was really intended to do.害羞草研究所�

Poilievre害羞草研究所檚 spokesman, Sebastian Skamski, said in a statement that Liberal MPs are desperate to make 害羞草研究所渄isgusting and outlandish claims害羞草研究所� to distract from the government害羞草研究所檚 害羞草研究所渙wn disastrous record.害羞草研究所�

He called the Liberal approach 害羞草研究所済utter politics,害羞草研究所� charging that 害羞草研究所渄eranged comments like these aren害羞草研究所檛 one-off exceptions but rather (Prime Minister) Justin Trudeau害羞草研究所檚 entire game plan.害羞草研究所�

This is the second time in two months Hardie has apologized for his behaviour on social media.

Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman called Hardie 害羞草研究所渦nhinged害羞草研究所� in her own social-media post on Monday, pointing to another post last month in which he said Nazi propagandist Josef Goebbels would be proud of Conservative MPs.

Hardie deleted the post and issued an apology in the House of Commons.

害羞草研究所淚 did go elbows up on Twitter, and I apologize for that,害羞草研究所� he said on Oct. 5. 害羞草研究所淚 did attempt to raise the issue the other day of the frequent misrepresentation coming from the Conservative side, but elbows up was a little too much in this case, and I apologize.害羞草研究所�

Speaker Greg Fergus asked for a clearer apology, and Hardie responded: 害羞草研究所淎bsolutely, Mr. Speaker. I apologize to the House.害羞草研究所�

Hardie said on Tuesday that he thinks if he had used the name of former U.S. president Donald Trump in his earlier tweet, it wouldn害羞草研究所檛 have resulted in what he called 害羞草研究所渄eserved backlash.害羞草研究所�

The Liberal MP added that he doesn害羞草研究所檛 plan to change his approach to social media because of either incident.

害羞草研究所淚 will keep tweeting, absolutely. I think the essence of both of those tweets is to call attention to the practices and the strategies that the Conservatives are using that are damaging to democracy,害羞草研究所� he said following his apology.

害羞草研究所淚t is unfortunate that I opened the door to having that message invalidated. But it isn害羞草研究所檛 an invalid message. It害羞草研究所檚 a message we need to pay attention to.害羞草研究所�

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