Leitch's association with the snitch line, seen by many to have been largely anti-Muslim, dogged her every step of her leadership campaign. During a televised interview early in her campaign, Leitch apologized for her role in introducing the proposal: I've had a lot of time to think about this since the [federal election] campaign took place and if I could go back in time, which I can't, I would change things. . . . As minister of status of women, I was focused on making sure that we eliminated violence against women and girls, especially making sure we advocated for women's rights. . . . We weren't talking about race; we were talking about kids . . . but that message was completely overtaken and I regret that, and I regret that it occurred, and it shouldn't have been done. 46