Ontario Election Candidates Face Backlash Over Controversial Social Media Posts

Image credits: Chris Young/The Canadian Press

The Ontario election has been marred by controversy in recent weeks, with several candidates from the Liberal and New Democratic Party facing backlash over their past social media posts. The posts, which have been described as misogynistic, embarrassing, and inappropriate, have prompted two withdrawals and calls for others to resign ahead of election day. The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party has been at the forefront of exposing these posts, sharing screenshots on social media and calling for the candidates to be held accountable.

One of the candidates at the center of the controversy is Thunder Bay-Superior North Liberal Party candidate Brian Hamilton, who made comments appearing to support American actor Bill Cosby and former CBC radio host Jian Ghomeshi, both of whom have been accused of sexual assault. Hamilton subsequently apologized for his comments, stating that they "do not reflect my current views." However, the damage had already been done, with many calling for him to resign from the campaign. The Liberal Party has also faced criticism for its handling of the situation, with some arguing that the party has not done enough to address the issue of misogyny within its ranks.

In addition to Hamilton, several other Liberal candidates have faced criticism for their past social media posts. Ottawa Centre Liberal candidate Thomas Simpson was found to have written "Consent is not sexy #success" on social media, while Scarborough-Rouge Park Liberal candidate Morris Beckford asked followers if Hitler was a leader. The party has also been criticized for its handling of these situations, with some arguing that it has not done enough to address the issue of discrimination within its ranks. The controversy has sparked a wider debate about the need for greater accountability and transparency in politics, with many calling for candidates to be more careful about what they post on social media.

The New Democratic Party has also faced controversy in recent weeks, with Elgin-Middlesex-London candidate Amanda Zavitz resigning from the race after it was revealed that she had expressed a desire to be a black woman. Zavitz had made the comments while speaking at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, stating that she wanted to be an expert in inequality with lived experiences of poverty and living in addiction and alcoholism. The party has accepted her resignation, with leader Andrea Horwath stating that the comments were "not acceptable" and that the party is committed to diversity and inclusion.

Here is a list of key events in the controversy: * Feb. 14: The Ontario Progressive Conservative Party shares screenshots of Thunder Bay-Superior North Liberal Party candidate Brian Hamilton's social media posts * Feb. 15: Ottawa Centre Liberal candidate Thomas Simpson's social media posts are revealed * Feb. 17: Scarborough-Rouge Park Liberal candidate Morris Beckford's social media posts are revealed * Feb. 18: Oshawa Liberal candidate Viresh Bansal's social media posts are revealed, prompting widespread criticism and calls for him to resign * Feb. 19: Elgin-Middlesex-London NDP candidate Amanda Zavitz resigns from the race after her social media posts are revealed * Feb. 27: The Ontario provincial election is scheduled to take place. The controversy has sparked a wider debate about the need for greater accountability and transparency in politics, with many calling for candidates to be more careful about what they post on social media. The issue has also highlighted the need for political parties to have stronger vetting processes in place to prevent such controversies from arising in the future.