After three days of furor over a photo of Doug Ford posing with a white nationalist, the premier took to social media Wednesday to denounce hate speech — saying he won’t tolerate it from anyone, including Faith Goldy.

“I have been clear. I condemn hate speech, anti-Semitism and racism in all forms — be it from Faith Goldy or anyone else,” the premier tweeted at midday regarding the controversial Toronto mayoral candidate, who had posted the picture taken at the Ford Fest barbecue on the weekend.

Robocalls for Goldy’s Toronto mayoralty bid surfaced earlier in the day, in which the candidate says she “stands with Doug Ford” — prompting the New Democrats to again demand that the premier distance himself from her.

In the recorded call to Toronto households, Goldy says she “wants to crack down on crime and make our streets safe again. I’m a common sense conservative who will put the taxpayer first.

“I’m the only candidate who stands with Doug Ford shrinking the size of city council. And I’m against bringing in more illegal migrants to our communities.”

On Monday and Tuesday, Ford was asked to directly denounce Goldy after the photo of the two appeared on social media. The premier had pointedly refused, instead saying he denounces hate and has “zero tolerance” for hate speech.

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In the legislature Wednesday, New Democrat MPP Laura Mae Lindo urged the government to apologize and condemn Goldy.

“We have to do better. The people need the government to do better. There is a candidate, Ms. Goldy, who represents unvarnished hateful polarizing views about race and diversity that has appeared in at least two photos with the premier,” said Lindo, referring to an earlier picture of the two that also surfaced online.

“The premier won’t denounce Faith Goldy specifically, or apologize for taking these photos. Will the minister responsible for anti-racism initiatives in this government denounce Ms Goldy’s campaign and apologize on behalf of the government for the seeming endorsement — whether it was an intentional endorsement or not,” asked Lindo, who directed her question to Michael Tibollo, as Ford was not in the house at the time.

Tibollo, the MPP for Vaughan-Woodbridge, responded that both he and the premier have said “there is no place for racism in this province. We’ve been very, very clear that this is an inclusive province.

“And we will work as a government to ensure that those policies are continued and they are put into effect ... so that the government and the entire province is rid of racism,” he said, referring to his anti-racism file.

Ford said Monday that his photo was taken with thousands of people at Ford Fest. He had come under mounting pressure from anti-hate and religious organizations to speak out against Goldy.

Bernie Farber, chair of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, said Monday that Ford’s “refusal to disassociate himself with those who enable white nationalism should frighten us all into action.

“Much of my professional life has been dedicated to exposing and battling white supremacy and neo-Nazism,” tweeted Farber, a former CEO of the Canadian Jewish Congress. “Never in Canada has any mainstream politician given credence to those who associate with or enable white supremacy until today.”

In an opinion piece for the Star published Wednesday, Farber wrote: “Goldy is well-known to Ford. She was a colleague of the premier’s when they both appeared on Sun News panels. He was also interviewed by Goldy before she was fired from the ultra-right Rebel Media for her support of neo-Nazis in Charlottesville.”

The National Council of Canadian Muslims has also called on Ford to “categorically reject the hateful and divisive ideas of those, like Ms. Goldy.”

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Goldy was fired by Rebel Media last year after she went to Charlottesville, Virginia to cover the Unite The Right rally, then appeared on a podcast affiliated with The Daily Stormer, a neo-Nazi website.

“Canadians still expect decency and leadership from those we put in office,” Farber also wrote. “Ford can still make this right, but not until he fully dissociates himself from those like Faith Goldy and their vile ideas.”

In an email to the Star, Goldy said she’s the only mayoral candidate who “stands shoulder to shoulder with Premier Ford. Rather than working against him, I’m going to work with him.”

When asked if she had met Ford or spoken to him before, she responded, “Everyone knows Premier Ford. The Fords are the first family of Canada.”

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