Goldie Ghamari ousted from PC caucus after meeting with anti-Islam campaigner
Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamari has been kicked out of the Ontario PC caucus after meeting with a far-right British activist and anti-Islam campaigner.
A statement Friday from Ontario Premier Doug Ford doesn't mention that controversial figure by name, but rather refers Ghamari's "serious lapses in judgment."
"This decision follows repeated instances of serious lapses in judgment and a failure to collaborate constructively with caucus leadership and as a team member," the statement reads.
"While this decision did not come easily, it has become clear that MPP Ghamari can no longer continue in her role within our caucus."
Ghamari recently posted a photo of herself with Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, on X.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) expressed outrage over the post, calling Robinson a "well known Islamophobe and criminal."
Robinson is the founder of the far-right English Defence League (EDL). He has previously been convicted of assault and other crimes in the United Kingdom, often in relation to the EDL's activities.
He has also been banned from multiple social media platforms including Twitter, until it was purchased by Elon Musk.
Responding to the NCCM, Ghamari claimed to be unaware of Robinson's "history," explaining she met with him to discuss Canada's recent decision to list Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity.
"I condemn all forms of Islamophobia and Antisemitism," Ghamari wrote on X.
"I was not aware of Mr. Robinson's history prior to our meeting. I chose to meet with him because I am an Iranian-Canadian immigrant who has been speaking out on behalf of human rights violations by the Islamic Regime in Iran against Iranians in Iran and their attempts to spy and threaten Iranians in Canada."
Robinson recently travelled to Canada to take part in a Rebel News-sponsored speaking tour with the alt-right news publication's founder Ezra Levant.
He first arrived in Montreal on June 17 and planned to stop in Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto but was arrested by Calgary police over his immigration status. Levant said the tour is on hold while they raise money for Robinson's legal defence.
Responding to Ghamari's removal from the PC caucus, Robinson wrote on X: "Whilst the Islamic republic of Iran controls Iranian women's speech & freedom, premier Doug Ford does the same in Canada on behalf of the Muslim brotherhood."
"This is a big win for the Islamists," he added.
So far, Ghamari's only public response to her ouster was on X, where she noted cryptically that "when one door closes, another one opens." The post included a peace sign emoji.
CBC News reached out to the ousted MPP for comment but she declined. Ghamari's executive assistant told the CBC to refer back to her post on X.
The NCCM, meanwhile, is welcoming Ford's decision to boot Ghamari from the PC caucus.
"We are glad to see the Premier Ford has made a swift decision in removing MP Ghamari off of the Ontario PC caucus," said NCCM advocacy officer Fatema Abdalla in an interview with CBC.
"Ghamari has a long-standing history of spreading hateful narratives and condoning Islamophobia, and her recent meeting with the well known British Islamophobic criminal Tommy Robinson is just an example of that."
