OTTAWA — Ontario’s Liberal leader has accepted the apology of a candidate’s 13-year-old tweet, but accused the Progressive Conservative leader of lacking the testicular fortitude to level attacks to her directly.
Making a campaign stop in the nation’s capital on Tuesday, Bonnie Crombie addressed social media messages by some Liberal candidates unearthed by the Ontario PCs — specifically a June 2012 tweet by Ottawa Centre Candidate Thomas Simpson, whose “Consent is not sexy #success” post raised eyebrows.
“Absolutely, of course,” Crombie said when asked if he’d offered an apology for his comments, during a campaign stop east of Ottawa.
“He was a young man, and he understands that is not appropriate and not tolerated, and he has completely apologized and withdrawn his statements, and he’s made those apologies.”
With the Ontario election campaign entering the home stretch, the Ontario PCs spent the past week highlighting problematic statements made by some Liberal candidates, which Crombie dismissed as mudslinging.
She also accused Ford of going into hiding.
“If they want to sling mud, if Doug Ford has something to say to me, he should have the balls to say it to my face,” Crombie said.
“If you’ve got something to complain about, come to me, show your face. Where has he been? He called an early, unnecessary election at a cost of $189 million, and he’s been absent for 50% of it.”
Questionable posts also include decade-old tweets by Thunder Bay-Superior North Liberal candidate Brian Hamilton, where the former city councillor made a number of posts regarding disgraced CBC Radio host Jian Ghomeshi.
“Cue(Q) without #Jian Gomeschi (sp) is like a flower without the pedals (sp,)” followed by a reply where he added “or a ‘date without the slap/choke.”
Tweet by Liberal MPP Candidate Brian Hamilton
Hamilton also tweeted “I miss #JianGhomeshi. Even if he is an ass slapping lady choker. HIs peculiarities don’t neutralize his genius.”
Hamilton also replied to a CBC News tweet about Bill Cosby by saying “40 years ago people were spiking drinks with Spanish Fly. 50 yrs ago they were spraying beaches with DDT. Let it go.”
Hamilton apologized for his comments, and the party said he would remain a candidate.
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