Liberals drop southwestern Ontario candidate over homophobic slur on social media & More Trending News

The Ontario Liberal Party mentioned Thursday it has eliminated Alec Mazurek as a provincial election candidate for Chatham-Kent-Leamington following claims he used a homophobic slur a number of instances on social media.

Mazurek, 23, later mentioned on Facebook that the feedback had been made when he was 15. They got here to mild after they had been shared by the NDP, and seem to have been posted by Mazurek eight years in the past.

It marks the third time inside per week that the Liberals have dropped a candidate.

Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca was requested about Mazurek’s on-line posts Thursday, which can also be the deadline day for candidate nominations for the June 2 election.

“I think it’s really important for leaders to take decisive action when candidate behaviour that is irresponsible, that is reckless, that is not what we stand for is dealt with in the most decisive way possible,” Del Duca mentioned. “So I will take a look immediately following this event, and if that is the case, he will no longer be a candidate for us.”

Shortly after, Del Duca’s press secretary mentioned in a press release that Mazurek “has officially been terminated,” and will not be representing the Liberals on June 2.

Elections Ontario’s web site reveals former federal Liberal candidate Audrey Festeryga has been registered to run within the driving.

The Facebook posts by Mazurek that had been dropped at mild by the NDP seem to point out him utilizing the F-word referred to as a homophobic slur.

In a press release on his present Facebook web page, Mazurek mentioned the feedback “were unacceptable then and unacceptable now, and are not reflective of the values that I hold and champion today,”

“All Ontarians deserve to have a safe community around them, and comments like those make it more difficult to earn that trust. I apologize unequivocally for any harms that they have caused and I will continue to learn from previous mistakes.”

Mazurek initially indicated the feedback had been made when he was 13, however later up to date his submit to replicate that he would have been 15 on the time.

In saying the feedback in query are almost a decade previous, he added:  “To put it into context, I was just starting high school. This is not an excuse to minimize the reason that this is an issue, but I would also like to make clear that we’re holding a child to the same standards as the adult writing this statement today.”

Mazurek instructed CBC he is not trying to proceed his marketing campaign independently, and his title will not be on the poll June 2.

Mazurek’s ousting got here a day after the Liberals dropped a candidate for Parry Sound-Muskoka, within the wake of media reviews that described a self-published guide that particulars scientifically baseless views on homosexuality.

The day earlier than, the Liberals dropped their candidate in Sault Ste. Marie. after a media report mentioned the teenager participated in on-line discussions wherein folks joked about “dying of AIDS.” The highschool pupil instructed native media he didn’t make these feedback.

Windsor Pride Community board head reacts

Colm Holmes, president of the board of Windsor Pride Community, mentioned he was shocked {that a} vetted candidate would have used that sort of language, however is supportive of the occasion’s choice to take away Mazurek as a candidate.

“Obviously the word carries a lot of weight in our community and is used constantly as a weapon to harm our community,” he mentioned.

As for whether or not it issues if the feedback had been years previous or made when somebody was youthful, Holmes — who spoke with CBC previous to Mazurek’s apology — mentioned that everybody undergoes a interval of maturing, and the difficulty is extra so the way it got here to mild that dangerous language was used, the intent and impression, and whether or not there may be regret.

“Did they come forward and say that and put together some things that they’ve been working on with themselves, with working with the community? Have they done anything or is it simply that someone has dug up through their social media profile and found out something that they were trying to keep hidden?” he mentioned.

Liberals purpose to run full ticket

The deadline for candidate nominations is 2 p.m. ET Thursday, however Del Duca mentioned he would nonetheless attempt to run with a full ticket.

The occasion mentioned it could have an replace on its roster of candidates quickly.

Del Duca did not remark on how the Liberals vetted their candidates, however mentioned he sees it as an ongoing effort.

“From my perspective, the vetting process never stops,” he mentioned.

“We’re constantly making sure that we are in touch with our candidates, that we’re aware to the best of our ability of what’s taking place and what’s going on with it.”

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