Ontario MPP removed from PC caucus over 'serious lapses in judgment'

Premier Doug Ford has removed a member of his caucus due to what he’s describing as “serious lapses in judgment.”

In a statement released Friday morning, the premier’s office said MPP Goldie Ghamari had been removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus “effective immediately.”

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“This decision follows repeated instances of serious lapses in judgment and a failure to collaborate constructively with caucus leadership and as a team member," Ford wrote in a statement.

 “While this decision did not come easily, it has become clear that MPP Ghamari can no longer continue in her role within our caucus.”

Earlier this week, the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) called on Ford to remove Ghamari after she posted an image of a meeting with British far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

In response, Ghamari said she was "not aware" of Robinson's history prior to their 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," she wrote.

Ghamari, who has represented the PCs in Carleton since 2018, published a tweet after news of her dismissal broke, writing “When one door closes, another opens.”

In November, Ford stood by Ghamari amid calls for her removal from caucus after she was accused of posting “anti-Muslim rhetoric” by the Canadian Muslim Public Affairs Council (CMPAC) and the NCCM. The latter of which said she had “recycled some of the worst Islamophobic fear-mongering” when she suggested that the Muslim prayer “Allahu Akbar” could be considered a safety concern.

At that time, Ford rebuffed those calls for dismissal.

“She has really been a strong voice for anti-Islamophobia, making sure we have zero tolerance,” he said at the time. “No matter if it's antisemitism, or Islamophobia, it has no place here in Ontario.”