Ontario election: Liberal candidate under fire for social media post

Ontario Liberal Party Faces Scrutiny Over Candidate Selection Process

The Ontario Liberal Party is under growing scrutiny as the Progressive Conservative (PC) campaign continues to bring to light controversial social media posts made by Liberal candidates ahead of the province’s snap election. These revelations have raised questions about the thoroughness of the Liberal Party’s candidate vetting process and sparked a heated exchange between the two political rivals. The latest controversy centers around Viresh Bansal, the Liberal candidate for Oshawa, who made a inflammatory remark on social media. In response to a post about the killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Bansal wrote, “You can thank India for cleaning trash people. Ask your gay friend @JustinTrudeau to do the same.” Nijjar, a Canadian citizen and prominent leader of the Khalistan movement, was assassinated in an incident Canada has linked to the Indian government. While the Ontario Liberal campaign declined to directly address Bansal’s remarks, they accused the PCs of using distraction tactics to divert attention from Premier Doug Ford’s record in office, including billions of dollars wasted on controversial deals and an ongoing RCMP investigation into the Greenbelt land scandal.

Controversial Social Media Posts Emerge from Multiple Liberal Candidates

The PCs have uncovered a string of troubling social media posts from Liberal candidates in recent days, further fueling the controversy. One candidate in the Ottawa area shared what appeared to be a joke about consent, while a Thunder Bay Liberal candidate wrote a series of controversial messages, including one defending Bill Cosby. These posts, dating back to 2012 and 2014, respectively, have raised concerns about the Liberal Party’s vetting process for candidates. Despite the backlash, Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie has stood by her candidates. Crombie emphasized that the Thunder Bay candidate had apologized for his tweets, adding, “I think this was a long time ago, and he’s an elected official today, and he’s apologized.” However, the repeated emergence of such posts has led to questions about how carefully the Liberal Party screened its candidates before nominating them for the snap election.

Questions Raised About Liberal Party’s Vetting Process

The Liberal Party’s decision to run a full slate of candidates across Ontario’s 124 ridings has come under scrutiny following the revelations of these controversial social media posts. Crombie and her party had emphasized electoral urgency early in the campaign, expediting the nomination process to ensure candidates were in place for every riding ahead of the election. Critics argue that this rush may have compromised the vetting process, allowing candidates with problematic social media histories to slip through without proper scrutiny. The PCs have seized on these revelations, calling on Crombie to take personal responsibility for her candidates’ past remarks. In a statement, the PC campaign accused Crombie of refusing to acknowledge accountability, stating, “Bonnie Crombie’s silence and continued support for these candidates speak volumes.”

Progressive Conservatives Demand Accountability from Liberal Leader

The Progressive Conservatives have been relentless in their criticism of Crombie and the Liberal Party, accusing them of failing to properly vet candidates. They argue that Crombie’s refusal to distance herself from those embroiled in controversy undermines her leadership and reflects poorly on the party’s judgment. The PCs have also highlighted the potential risks of rushing through the nomination process, suggesting that it may have led to oversight in screening candidates for suitability. Crombie, however, hasdismissed these criticisms as politically motivated, insisting that her candidates have taken responsibility for their past actions. She has also countered by circulating a list of contentious statements made by PC Leader Doug Ford in an effort to shift the spotlight back onto her opponent’s record.

Liberals Push Back Against Conservative Attacks

Despite the mounting pressure, the Liberal Party has not backed down in the face of Conservative criticism. Instead, they have launched a counteroffensive, highlighting past controversies involving PC Leader Doug Ford. By circulating a list of Ford’s previous statements, the Liberals aim to deflect attention from their own candidates’ missteps and remind voters of Ford’s own history of divisive remarks. This tit-for-tat approach underscores the increasingly combative nature of the Ontario election campaign, with both parties seeking to discredit each other in the eyes of voters. The Liberals’ strategy suggests that they are confident in their ability to weather the storm, but the ongoing revelations about their candidates’ social media histories may yet prove damaging.

Implications for Ontario’s Snap Election

As the Ontario snap election approaches, with voting set to take place on February 27, the controversy over the Liberal Party’s candidate selection process continues to dominate the headlines. The PCs’ relentless focus on these issues has raised questions about the Liberal Party’s readiness for government and its ability to vet candidates effectively. Meanwhile, the Liberals’ decision to stand by their candidates, despite the backlash, reflects their strategy of emphasizing unity and moving forward. The outcome of this election will not only determine the direction of Ontario’s government but also serve as a test of how voters respond to the Liberal Party’s handling of these controversies. With all major parties—Liberal, PC, and NDP—fielding full slates of candidates, the race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory.