WINDSOR – New Democratic Leader Andrea Horwath insists there’s no anti-police undercurrent in her front-running party despite past controversial actions by NDP candidates.

“Not at all,” Horwath said Wednesday after the Progressive Conservatives, who have slipped to second place according to most public-opinion polls, accused her of “indulging offensive and radical elements in her party.”

The Tories highlighted a questionable July 2016 social-media post by Black NDP Toronto-St. Paul’s candidate Jill Andrew that said Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders, who is also Black, deserved a “coon award.”

“My personal Facebook post was reflective of the very tensions that I, and many in Toronto’s marginalized communities, feel and experience,” said Andrew, adding that “I recognize that loaded terms compromise discussion.”

The Conservatives also repeated criticism of Brampton East candidate Gurratan Singh, younger brother of federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, for carrying a “F--- The Police” sign at a 2006 protest.

PC Leader Doug Ford stressed the Tories “are unwavering when it comes to our police.”

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His party is the subject of a criminal fraud probe into the Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas nomination and its Brampton East candidate was forced to resign after personal data at the 407 ETR was compromised. That breach is being investigated by police.

“(There’s) never a bigger supporter with the police than Doug Ford,” said Ford.

Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne noted that, unlike the contrite Singh, Andrew did not issue “a direct apology.”

“That needs to happen. It is really unacceptable that such language would be used by a candidate and I think Andrea Horwath has to explain why she would support such language from a candidate,” Wynne said in Thornhill

Horwath bristled at the suggestion her party, which polls indicate could win the June 7 election, is biased against the police.

“In fact, I’ve spent a great deal of time over these last number of years meeting not only with the chiefs of police as a group, but also with the police associations,” she said, acknowledging she was shocked by Andrew’s post.

“It’s the kind of statement that takes one aback. My understanding is it’s language that within the Black community is utilized to show displeasure when there are Black leaders who are not felt to be doing enough to address Black community issues,” the NDP leader said.

“As somebody who is not from the Black community when I saw that post that was made public by the Conservatives it was surprising. It’s not something that I would ever say, but we do know that there’s lots of situations where Black activists are trying to make some change and put some pressure on large institutions to help change the culture.”

Horwath’s comments came at the Windsor home of seniors Debby and S.P. Aujlay, who pay $500 a month for dental benefits because they do not have coverage.

The New Democrat leader was touting her party’s platform pledge to deliver dental coverage to the one-third of Ontarians who do not enjoy such benefits from their employer.

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“It’s getting hard to come up with $500 a month,” said S.P. Aujlay, 66, a retired trucker and tool and die maker.

Debby Aujlay, a retired hospital library technician, said for seniors on a fixed income, expensive dental procedures like root canal or bridgework can be prohibitive.

“And you can’t just let it go,” she said.

Later, in Leamington, Horwath promised that an NDP government would twin Hwy. 3, a key artery for Southwestern Ontario’s thriving agri-food business. The two-lane highway has been the scene of many serious accidents over the years.

She also blitzed Tory-held ridings in Sarnia and Kitchener as the campaign hits the home stretch.

With files from Kris Rushowy and Rob Ferguson

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