Muslim group, constituents call for Andrew Lawton's removal as Conservative candidate in southern Ontario
Hikma Public Affairs Council, based in London, is calling for an "unequivocal rejection" of Andrew Lawton as a candidate in Elgin–St. Thomas–London South based on his "well-documented pattern of deeply offensive and discriminatory remarks," it said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Including Islamophobic, antisemitic, homophobic, misogynistic and anti-Indigenous commentary, Mr. Lawton has consistently demonstrated conduct fundamentally incompatible with the values of a democratic and inclusive society, especially in London."
Hikma said it's deeply concerned about Lawton's divisive record.
"Public office is not a platform for personal prejudice," the statement said. "It is a public trust. That trust must not be placed in individuals who have repeatedly demonstrated contempt for the very communities they would purport to serve."
When reached for comment Tuesday, Lawton directed CBC News to his March 14 Facebook post, which said that while facing a lengthy battle with mental health challenges, he was "reckless, self-destructive, and said and did things that were deeply hurtful."
"For me, at the time of my illness, social media became an unfortunate and extremely negative outlet. My past comments as a young man have been publicized at length and I remain deeply ashamed of my conduct throughout this period.
"I cannot undo my past, but I can live by example and continue to be the best man I can be," Lawton wrote.
Lawton is a former journalist who hosted a daily radio talk show on 980 CFPL in London and was managing editor of the right-wing online publication True North. He also authored a biography published in May about Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre 's political career.
Lawton recently came under fire for his involvement in a group chat that included leaders of what became the Freedom Convoy during a federal inquiry into the Liberal government's use of the Emergencies Act to end the 2022 protests. The story was first reported Friday by the online news organization PressProgress.
In a statement to CBC News on Friday, CPC spokesperson Sam Lilly said, "As a journalist, Mr. Lawton regularly communicated with a variety of sources through his reporting on the Public Order Emergency Commission.
"Mr. Lawton wrote the only journalistic account of the Freedom Convoy, which was cited in evidence as a factual account of the protests: The Freedom Convoy: The Inside Story of Three Weeks that Shook the World. Mr. Lawton left the group after the commission hearings ended."
Local residents protest Lawton's candidacy
Last July, Lawton sought a CPC nomination in the riding that's been a Tory stronghold for decades, after Karen Vecchio, the MP since 2004, announced she wouldn't be seeking re-election.
Lawton is running against Liberal candidate David Goodwin, the New Democratic Party's Paul Pighin and Oriana Knox of the Green Party.
This isn't the first time Lawton's past has come under scrutiny. He ran in London during the 2018 provincial election but was dropped by Premier Doug Ford's Progressive Conservatives after social media comments he made condemning Islam and gay marriage had resurfaced.
Some of these include a post on X, formerly Twitter from 2011, in which he wrote, "I'm thinking of starting an all-Muslim basketball team. They'll be called the Hezballers." In another post from the same year, Lawton wrote, "I left the Anglican Church when they made the decision to allow gay marriage."
At the time, Lawton blamed his struggle with mental illness for the controversial tweets. He is a volunteer on the board of Suicide Prevention Middlesex-London.
However, that justification doesn't cut it for some people in the largely rural riding Lawton is vying to represent this federal election. They said Lawton hasn't made himself available to constituents to explain or express remorse for his past comments.
"I've heard a lot of pushback from the community with people who have also struggled with mental health issues and feel it's quite insulting that this sort of perspective is being relieved of all your past sins online," said Port Stanley resident Christine Rudman.
"He has a very long history of pretty egregious comments and behaviour online in regards to marginalized groups, whether it's women, the Islamic community or the LGBTQ+ community, which is problematic because he's supposed to be representing more than just white [cisgender] men."
"Elgin County's motto is Progressive by Nature — a proud expression of our region's values of growth, inclusion and forward-thinking leadership," said Devon Church, a member of Elgin County Pride.
"Mr. Lawton's public record and personal views stand in stark contrast to this vision. His ideology does not reflect progress; it reflects regression. Electing him would move us backward, not forward."
Rudman, a retired social worker, is among a group that plans to protest at Lawton's campaign office in St. Thomas on Saturday that she said will help people make an informed decision.
"This isn't about red or blue. In this rural community, people vote blue ... they don't vote for the candidate, they just vote the colour, and I think it's really important now more than ever that people understand the values and ethics of the person they're voting for."
More than half a dozen Liberal and Conservative candidates have been dropped from party tickets in the first two weeks of the campaign leading up to the April 28 vote over their controversial statements. The deadline to replace those candidates ended Monday.
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