Kellie Leitch's 'mesmerizingly weird' video has Internet going wild

In her bid to become the next leader of the federal Conservatives, MP Kellie Leitch posted a video online that has captured the attention of many Canadians for all the wrong reasons.

The clip was published Saturday and features the politician sitting on the edge of a desk as she explains her stance on the controversial idea of screening newcomers for “Canadian values.” Leitch says thoughts on hard work, generosity, freedom and tolerance are just a few of the ideals people seeking to enter Canada would be screened for in face-to-face interviews.

But instead of a responsive discussion about her policy, Leitch’s mannerisms and awkward pauses are what many people are focusing on.

Her message seems to have gotten lost in the footage containing several long pauses, where the MP can be seen looking off into the distance or away from the camera as she ponders her next thought.

Perhaps her video editor could’ve done a better job at making her seem less awkward, but if clips like these are all about grabbing attention, it seems to be working. The video already has more than 370,000 views on Facebook.

With a great number of views comes a great number of comments, and some online didn’t hold back in their critique of the doctor turned politician.

There was even one commenter who isn’t ruling out the video being purposely bad to grab more eyeballs.

Even the media had a field day with the awkward video. Maclean’s called it “bizzaro” while the Huffington Post said it was making Twitter “go nuts.”

There was also some special attention placed on an edited version of her video, which includes a montage of her dramatic silent moments.

Being in a pool of 14 candidates, it’s important to find ways to stand out from the crowd. But it’s hard to say whether the video will help or hurt Leitch as she tries to become her federal party’s next permanent leader.