NDP wants probe into area Liberal; Tory fends off LGBTQ accusations
Meanwhile, secondary school teachers in Ontario throw support to Greens
There was surprise and controversy on the campaign trail Wednesday, with the Green party receiving an unexpected endorsement while the Liberals and PCS both faced potential scandals.
The NDP on Wednesday urged provincial election officials to investigate nomination papers for the Liberal candidate in Chatham-kent-leamington, alleging the party used signatures meant for its turfed nominee to get another on the ballot.
The Ontario Liberals dropped Alex Mazurek, their original candidate in the riding, after the NDP revealed Facebook comments he'd made as a teenager using an anti-gay slur.
The Grits replaced Mazurek with Audrey Festeryga. But the NDP are alleging the Liberals used Mazurek's nomination paper signatures for Festeryga instead. Candidates are required to have signatures from 25 electors in the riding to get on the ballot.
“(Liberal Leader) Steven Del Duca must be accountable for how he and the Liberals approved the use of apparently false or improper documentation to support Festeryga's candidacy,” the Ontario NDP said in a statement.
When asked about the issue in Toronto, where he was promoting a Liberal plan top up benefits for an 18-month parental leave, Del Duca slammed the NDP for wasting time on partisan attacks.
“I think it's a really sad comment with 16 days left to go in this campaign that (Leader Andrea) Horwath and the Ontario NDP have resorted to desperation tactics,” he said.
During a stop in Hamilton, PC Leader Doug Ford also faced scrutiny over allegations against one of his candidates.
A report published Tuesday night by Press Progress said Brantford-brant candidate Will Bouma was involved with organizations that published homophobic views. Press Progress reported that before he ran for the Tories in the 2018 election, Bouma oversaw a publication of the Free Reformed Church of North America.
The publication, called Youth Messenger, called on young people to reject the “homosexual lifestyle,” claimed that “God condemns ... homosexual desires and acts,” and promoted the now illegal practice of conversion “therapy.”
Ford said Wednesday he is sticking by Bouma because the candidate didn't write the articles in question. Bouma also said Wednesday on Twitter he didn't write them.
“I am a proud, loving and supportive father to a daughter who is a member of the LGBTQ community — my views are clear, I support the rights of all of my constituents regardless of orientation,” Bouma said. “I had no involvement in writing these articles.”
Ford was also criticized Wednesday after news broke that two nurses with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), who were protesting Monday outside the leaders debate, were injured as his bus arrived.
SEIU Healthcare spokesperson Angelica Cruz told CP24 one nurse “hit the pavement” and another was dragged across concrete after police intervened.
“The peaceful demonstration of nurses was met with force as police cleared a path for Doug Ford before he exited his campaign bus,” Cruz said.
And in somewhat of a surprise move, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation officially endorsed the Green party of Ontario and its leader Mike Schreiner, the MPP for Guelph.
“OSSTF has gotten to know Mike Schreiner well and we are proud to endorse him for the June 2 provincial election,” said union president Karen Littlewood. “He is a strong supporter of our education platform and publicly-funded education in general.”
I am a proud, loving and supportive father to a daughter who is a member of the LGBTQ community.