‘Dalliances with extremists’

Hamilton MPP Donna Skelly, widely tipped to become a member of Doug Ford’s cabinet, came under fire in late May when a photograph emerged of her at a Christmas event brandishing a hat that advertised alt-right news platform Free Bird Media.

Skelly is not the only elected PC MPP who needs to address their connections to extremist individuals.

In response to the uproar over the image, Skelly said she was handed the hat on the day and had never heard of the extremist organization. But Free Bird Media founder Alex Van Hamme, who also spoke at the event, refuted her claims. On Facebook, he wrote that “politicians are fake.… Skelly completely threw me under the bus.” By his account, she “stood on stage and declared ‘we need more media like this!’ while holding the hat.”

Bernie Farber, chair of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, described Free Bird Media as amplifying neo-Nazis and white supremacists — "they give a voice to some of the most dangerous people in Canadian society." He said the issue of two contradictory accounts needs to be addressed. "It’s important that we have explanation from Ms. Skelly as to what exactly happened here."

Skelly is not the only elected PC MPP who needs to address their connections to extremist individuals. Early on in his leadership campaign, Doug Ford received endorsements by pastors Paul Melnichuk and Charles McVety, both of whom have a track record of anti-Muslim and homophobic teachings and statements.

“To give Ford credit, he has denounced endorsements received from neo-Nazis. But he has not said anything about these two, which is very troubling,” said Farber.

Indeed, while Ford did appear at a Rebel Media event in June 2017, he has since distanced himself from the extreme right media group. He also publicly disavowed support from Montreal-based white supremacist Gabriel Sohier Chaput.

Farber said it is important the PCs, who have the support of many Canadian white supremacist groups “prove they are a government that does not have dalliances with extremists.”

This involves explaining the reasons behind Ford’s more controversial candidate nominations, in particular right-wing radio host Andrew Lawton, whom the premier-elect personally appointed to the London West riding. Lawton, who announced his candidacy just 10 days before, ousted a candidate who had run a two-year nomination campaign.

“Lawton should never have been given permission to run. Yet not only did Ford sign off on his papers, he supported and defended him until the end”

Although Lawton did not win, his endorsement by Ford and the PCs should not be “put to the periphery,” said Farber.

Lawton previously hosted a right-wing radio show in London and a podcast on Rebel Media. In the past, he has criticized the hoisting the Pride Flag at London City Hall, justified homophobia by blaming gay men for the spread of HIV, called the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women as a “fake holiday” marked by “feminazis,” suggested that Holocaust denial should be openly debated at universities, condemned “the pussification of the West” and implied German women deserve to sexually assaulted by refugees because of their country’s open immigration policies.

“Lawton should never have been given permission to run. Yet not only did Ford sign off on his papers, he supported and defended him until the end,” said Farber. “I think the question has to be put to Mr. Ford, why did he do that? And did he have full info about his candidate?”

According to Farber, the same goes for Tanya Granic Allen, who was ejected by the party in early May after an old video surfaced of her making homophobic remarks. In a string of social media and blog posts dredged up by the Toronto Star, she questioned gay marriage, linked Muslims to ISIS, took aim at women wearing burkas in public, and drew parallels between abortion and the Holocaust. Prior to her firing, she was tipped for Ford’s cabinet.

Controversy-plagued Conservative MPPs

Connections with hate groups aside, PC MPPs are also embroiled in other controversies.