A Progressive Conservative campaign training session for young party activists was marred by shoe-throwing, sexist language and participants being denied adequate food and water, the Star has learned.

More than 100 youth members paid between $295 and $395 for the Conservative Leadership Foundation (CLF) event and the party has received 40 complaints from participants and their parents.

Organized by veteran strategist John Mykytyshyn — and attended by Tory Leader Patrick Brown — the Aug. 12-14 conference at McMaster University’s Les Prince Hall was designed to prepare young Tories for the hothouse atmosphere of a campaign.

But sources said the election boot camp got out of hand with the youth members being deprived of food and water in the seminar room — including a diabetic who experienced considerable discomfort — and an official hurling his shoe and yelling sexist epithets at a young woman during his presentation.

One Tory, who declined to speak for attribution in order to freely discuss the situation, told the Star the tenor was at times “abusive” and noted many attendees were shocked at how they were treated.

In an extraordinary move, the PC Party of Ontario issued a formal apology about the event, acknowledging there was “a great deal of feedback from participants who attended the training weekend.”

“Unfortunately it is clear from the feedback received that the CLF weekend did not meet the standards of some of the participants who paid to attend, and therefore of the PCPO,” the Tories said in an email sent to those who attended.

“As a result, the PCPO will be conducting a fulsome review of the structure and governance of the CLF program.

“The PCPO apologizes to any participants who were disappointed with the quality or tone of the sessions or event organization, or were otherwise offended by any particular session or presenter.”

Brown spoke to the party activists and endorsed the event on Twitter on Aug. 13.

“Proud to speak at the Conservative Leadership Foundation Conference in Hamilton. Way to go @CLFTraining ! #onpoli,” the leader tweeted with a photo of him and the organizers and participants.

Despite lending the CLF training weekend his imprimatur, Brown’s office said he stands by the party’s contrite email and the pledge to revamp things.

Tamara Macgregor, his director of communications, said the alleged misbehaviour was “unacceptable.”

“The party is investigating concerns raised. As these are serious matters, we are conducting a full review before taking any specific action,” Macgregor said Monday.

Mykytyshyn, who was an ardent Brown supporter during last year’s Tory leadership race, did not return messages seeking comment.

He is no stranger to controversy; in 2000 he resigned from the executive of the Canadian Alliance, a precursor to the federal Conservative Party of Canada, for saying Maritime residents “don’t want to work for a living, to go to where the jobs were, like all our ancestors did.”

The CLF imbroglio comes as Brown, whose party leads Premier Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals in most public opinion polls, is trying to ready the Conservative for a provincial election to be held in May or June 2018.

According to the prospectus for the event, the CLF “teaches the essential lesson of politics: how to win.”

“The CLF identifies, trains and mentors the next generation of senior staffers, campaign managers, thought leaders, riding presidents, party executive members, as well as future candidates, cabinet ministers and leaders of the party,” it said.

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“Consider that past CLF graduates include Patrick Brown, Kellie Leitch, Walied Soliman and numerous candidates and campaign managers,” the prospectus continued.

“The CLF produces highly talented, highly energized young political operatives who are reshaping the conservative movement today — and who will make an even more significant impact tomorrow. It’s three days of the best political training available in Canada,” it said.

“You’ll hear from speakers who are leaders in their fields, who have worked in the trenches and commanded the troops. You’ll go through training and simulation exercises with leading campaign experts. You’ll also expand your networking circle and develop team-building and leadership skills. The CLF is designed to meet the needs of varying levels of experience and knowledge.”

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