I have enormous respect for Hugh Segal, but he is misrepresenting Stephen Harper's role in all this. In fact, what many of the Cons leadership candidates are doing by playing to the politics of division is entirely consistent with 9 years of Harper rule. Islamophobia was one of the defining elements of the Harper government. Going too far into that was one of the things that cost him the last election. Harper is often credited with reaching out to minorities in Canada, in sharp contrast to other and previous right wing governments, which targeted minorities. But Harper always excluded and targeted Muslims. What the CPC is doing now is doubling down on a policy and attitude that is part of its foundational DNA.