Having met with MPP’s Bill Walker and Lisa Thompson a couple of times over the years, the Grey Bruce Labour Council has been told by both members of provincial parliament that they must represent all their constituents. Of course their record is less than clear on this, but it is their rehearsed line in hopes of quickly dismissing those who may challenge their politics of regression and pandering to their party leader.

Party politics in Ontario and across Canada, perhaps more in the Conservative party and other parties on the right, requires a near blind obedience to the leader’s preferences. Having heard it said that there are not only sins of commission, but there are also sins of omission, we witness in Walker and Thompson’s behaviour too often omitting the required strength to stand up for just what they say, representing all their constituents.

This past week, for all who choose to look, Walker and Thompson jumped on the Doug Ford’s bandwagon and voted to support and allow the Canada Christian College of Charles McVety to grant BA and BSc degrees.

Labour Council VP for Grey, Chris Stephen, referencing numerous concerns raised by politicians opposing the move by the Ford government and various media articles, asks “how is it that standing in opposition to progressive changes to the employment standards act in 2018 yet supporting Ford on McVety who is on the record as transphobic, Islamophobic and racist is supporting all their constituents?”

“Labour Council VP, Dave Trumble notes “that Grey-Bruce has been privileged over the last few years to see heightened awareness and activism in support of our ever growing and more diverse community. Yet the profound tone deafness of Thompson and Walker to this has somehow translated to support for Ford and his buddy McVety. McVety, also on the record as saying gay people prey on children and attacking Islam as having a plan to take over Canada. The Labour Council hardly expects any Conservative to be progressive, however allowing themselves to be counted amongst the most socially reprehensible is a clear and present statement from Thompson and Walker.”

There were calls by a vast number of organizations to not permit McVety and his Canada Christian College to not be granted the ability to grant degrees. The Ontario PCs and our local MPPs remain fully in the hip pocket of Doug Ford and this obsequious behaviour will hopefully be remembered by the electorate and have at least these two MPPs shoved to the political curb.

source: media release, Grey Bruce Labour Council