Former Ontario Tory leadership candidate under fire for online comments
TORONTO — Former Ontario Tory leadership hopeful Tanya Granic Allen, who is now seeking a party nomination ahead of a spring provincial election, is defending herself after coming under fire for comments made online years ago about Muslims and gay marriage.
Granic Allen, a parental rights and anti-abortion advocate, denied Tuesday that posts and tweets in which she suggests gay marriage shouldn’t be legalized in the United Kingdom and says women should not wear burkas in public reflect Islamophobic or homophobic views.
“My concern…has always been about the freedom of religion, the freedom of conscience and freedom of expression and protecting those very important rights, which is why I opposed the banning of the niqab even though I personally take issue with it,” she told The Canadian Press.
Her online comments, which date back to 2013 and 2014, were condemned by the Liberals and New Democrats, who said it would be up to Tory Leader Doug Ford to decide whether he wants someone with those beliefs as a candidate.