Speaking Friday at a fundraiser for a memorial to "victims of communism," right-wing Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper launched an attack on what he called a "poisonous ideology" using language evocative of the Cold War.

"Evil comes in many forms and seems to reinvent itself time and again," he said, according to the Canadian Press. "But whatever it calls itself — Nazism, Marxist-Leninism, today, terrorism — they all have one thing in common: the destruction, the end of human liberty," he continued.

Speaking as the keynote speaker for the organization Tribute to Liberty, which aims to erect the memorial in Ottowa, Harper expressed his support for Ukraine and slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin.

His comments were met with condemnation from critics who accused him of employing red scare tactics.

Harper goes on epic rant about communism #cdnpoli http://t.co/wqLCN3n2uj via @HuffPostCanada Now it's "LOOK, THERE'S A COMMIE!" #cdnpoli

— Rab Newol (@Rabnew) June 1, 2014

Stephen Harper peeks under his bed at night #pmharper #cdnpoli #rightwing #redscare http://t.co/R4q564tdXX

— eww (@anatta60) June 1, 2014

_____________________