JUNE 28 : Ontario Premier Doug Ford removed backbencher Goldie Ghamari from the Progressive Conservative caucus following a series of what he described as “serious lapses in judgment.” The final straw came when Ghamari, who represents the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton, held a virtual meeting with Tommy Robinson, the former leader of the far-right English Defence League, and shared details of the meeting on social media.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims criticized Ghamari for engaging with Robinson, labeling him an Islamophobe, and called for her removal from the caucus. In response, Ford expressed his extreme disappointment and subsequently decided to expel her from the party.
Ghamari defended herself by stating she was unaware of Robinson’s controversial background and condemned all forms of Islamophobia and antisemitism. She explained that she took the meeting to discuss the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which Canada recently designated as a terrorist entity. Despite her explanation, Ford’s office stated that her actions and subsequent justifications revealed poor judgment and a failure to work constructively with the caucus.
Following her removal, Ghamari took to social media, signaling a positive outlook by saying, “when one door closes, another one opens,” and included a peace sign emoji.
