By Robert Benzie
New Democratic Leader Andrea Horwath insists there’s no anti-police undercurrent in her front-running party despite past controversial actions by NDP candidates.
“Not at all,” Horwath said Wednesday after the Progressive Conservatives, who have slipped to second place according to most public-opinion polls, accused her of “indulging offensive and radical elements in her party.”
The Tories highlighted a questionable July 2016 social-media post by Black NDP Toronto-St. Paul’s candidate Jill Andrew that said Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders, who is Black, deserved a “coon award.”
They also repeated criticism of Brampton East candidate Gurratan Singh, younger brother of federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, for carrying a “F– The Police” sign at a 2006 protest.
PC Leeds-Grenville candidate Steve Clark said “each time an NDP candidate engages in offensive behaviour, Andrea Horwath does nothing.”
“It is fair to ask whether there is a point at which Ms. Horwath is prepared to stand up to the radical interests in the NDP and stand up for the people who are hurt by her offensive candidates?” said Clark, whose own party has endured its share of candidates’ dubious Facebook and Twitter posts.
Horwath bristled at the suggestion her party, which polls indicate could win the June 7 election, is biased against the police.
“In fact, I’ve spent a great deal of time over these last number of years meeting not only with the chiefs of police as a group, but also with the police associations,” she said, acknowledging she was shocked by Andrew’s post.
“It’s the kind of statement that takes one aback. My understanding is it’s language that, within the Black community is utilized to show displeasure when there are Black leaders who are not felt to be doing enough to address Black community issues,” the NDP leader said.
“As somebody who is not from the Black community, when I saw that post that was made public by the Conservatives, it was surprising. It’s not something that I would ever say, but we do know that there’s lots of situations where Black activists are trying to make some change and put some pressure on large institutions to help change the culture.”
full story at https://www.thestar.com/news/queenspark/2018/05/30/horwath-denies-ndp-is-anti-police-in-wake-of-candidates-actions.html