Women’s group condemns attack on Ip
Niagara association calls insults damaging to all women in politics
Niagara Women in Politics has joined the chorus condemning recent comments made about St. Catharines regional councillor Laura Ip.
In a statement released Monday, the group said a rant by podcast host Jim Fannon toward Ip “was a direct attack not just on one woman, but on all women in politics.”
“And this is not an isolated incident, although it’s been the most visible.”
In late March, Fannon uploaded a podcast on streaming service BitChute titled “Radical Feminist Pigs and My Twitter Rage and Hate.” For much of the show’s 39 minutes he insults and degrades Ip. He also mocks Ip’s recent public posts about her own abortion — a response to Niagara West
MPP Sam Oosterhoff vowing to rid abortion “in our lifetime.”
Fannon — a former Niagara radio personality and Green party candidate — also flippantly refers to the suicide of Ip’s sister seven years ago, saying the councillor “maybe” has the right to be a mental illness activist. The comments drew instant condemnation when they were brought to Ip’s attention last week. “All of these guys are only trying to get to me, to hurt me,” Ip told The Niagara Falls Review. “To any of the women they do this to.”
When also reached, Fannon downplayed the show as “just me being me, flying off the handle,” and said his anger stemmed from tweets by Ip he felt mocked Christians.
Ip has said she made no such tweets.
A handful of local politicians condemned Fannon’s comments, including Niagara Region Chair Jim Bradley, who branded them “offensive and repugnant.” He said the profane attack “only serves to denigrate a member of our community and degrade our public discourse.”
Niagara Women in Publics counts former regional chair Debbie Zimmerman, former Niagara Falls city councillor Joyce Morocco and Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce chief executive officer Mishka Balsom among its members.
“We publicly wish to show our support for Coun. Ip and all women in office,” the group said, “and in making this statement confirm our commitment that any woman who seeks a role in the political arena is to be free to do so without fear of misogyny, bullying and unjustified attacks on her character.”