Ontario Tories raise bogus anti-Semitism charges against NDP

As his Tories lose their early lead in the polls, Doug Ford has launched a below-the-belt attack on the surging ONDP. He is accusing Andrea Horwath’s party of anti-Semitism because a number of NDP candidates have publicly supported Palestinian rights.

It all comes as the latest polls predict an NDP majority. Early Tory support has been eroded by accusations of voter fraud in the selection of over 20 Conservative candidates, police investigations into data theft from users of the 407 toll highway, and the exposure of a number of Tory candidates with far-right opinions. Tory candidates have been ridiculed for avoiding debates and any events where they might have to face public scrutiny.

The more people see of Doug Ford and his Trump-like campaign, the less they like it. His refusal to move beyond vague populist talking points and release a real platform isn’t playing well.

So he is taking a page from the British Tory party’s playbook, and trying to whip up a bogus campaign conflating support for Palestine with anti-Semitism. At a press conference two Tory candidates, Gila Martow and Todd Smith, accused NDP candidate Tasleem Riaz with sharing a Hitler quote on Facebook years ago. (Riaz issued a statement reiterating her record as an interfaith social justice activist, and her abhorrence of Hitler and all he stood for.)

They go further, to insinuate that the NDP has a history of recruiting anti-Semitic candidates. Some NDP candidates have expressed their support for Palestinian rights, and especially their outrage over the current murderous violence coming from the Israeli state. To pretend that condemnation of Israel’s apartheid policies is proof of anti-Semitism is cynical sleight of hand.

Tory hypocrisy is especially galling since Doug Ford has been associated with real neo-Nazis like Rebel Media’s Faith Goldy (pictured above). We await righteous condemnation of their own leader from Martow and Smith.