Doug Ford’s newly appointed candidate Andrew Lawton was previously suspended by AM980 in 2015 for a homophobic Facebook post about the spread of HIV/AIDS in Canada.

The post was in response to a poll conducted by a London organization named Emerging Leaders. The poll found that London LGBTQ community members were concerned about homophobia.

Lawton’s response?

Emerging Leaders used a push poll to try to paint Londoners as intolerant of the LGBTQ community. Number of sexual-orientation motivated hate crimes in Canada per year: 185. Number of HIV/AIDS infections from men having sex with men in Canada per year: 1450. Who is the real enemy?

The screenshot can be found on JeffPerston.ca and on petition site Avaaz where opponents called for him to be fired.

Instead of being fired, AM980 suspended Lawton for his comments. He then returned and worked at AM980 until March 2018 when he was let go due to restructuring.

This isn’t Lawton’s only controversial comments. He previously worked at Ezra Levant’s Rebel Media where, as reported by PressProgress, he called climate change a “load of nonsense” and called equality for women “pussification of the west”.

But Lawton is only a small part of the problem. Ford’s Ontario Conservatives harbour anti-LGBTQ candidates, including Tanya Granic Allen who attacked gay marriage and adoption by same-sex parents.

Ford himself has faced controversy in the past for his position on LGBTQ issues. His leadership campaign was endorsed by Charles McVety, who was sanctioned by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council for suggesting homosexuals prey on children. Ford has also refused to support or attend Pride events.

It is no wonder people are concerned about the Ontario Conservative’s stance towards minorities, women, and members of the LGTBQ.

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