A rookie MP for the Conservative Party of Canada is being questioned about his float in a Christmas parade which boasted a political message.

Jonathan Rowe, who won the Riding of Terra Nova-The Peninsulas last spring, sported the “Jail Not Bail” slogan in the Trinity Bight parade. Also on the float deck was the Grinch incarcerated in a mock jail.

Party Leader Pierre Poilievre has been pushing a “tough on crime” stance and while the Liberal government did toughen the maximum penalties for some crimes, Poilievre does not believe the measures will do anything to deter criminal activity.

Alex Marland, a political scientist at Acadia University, told the Tim Powers Show on VOCM that he does not think it wise to mix Christmas and politics.

“If anything, people are running away from politics at  this time of year,” says Marland. “Hopefully he learns from this and figures out that politicizing Christmas is not the best idea.”