Ousted PC Ontario MPP Goldie Ghamari Vows to Continue Speaking Out Against Iranian Regime

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is seen beside Conservative MPP Goldie Ghamari during a news conference in Toronto, on Jan. 16, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Cole Burston)

Ontario MPP Goldie Ghamari said she will continue speaking out against the Iranian government despite her removal from Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s caucus.

Ms. Ghamari, who has represented the riding of Carleton since 2018, was ejected from the Progressive Conservative caucus on June 28.

“As the first Iranian-Canadian woman elected to office in Canada, I’m proud to use my personal time to raise awareness and speak to people in Canada and around the world about the terrorist Islamic regime in Iran,” Ms. Ghamari said in a July 2 press release.

“To everyone who has supported my efforts to raise awareness about [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] terrorists in Canada, thank you. Please rest assured that I will continue to speak out on this issue.”

Ms. Ghamari said her office would remain open and she would continue assisting people in her riding of Carleton.

The Progressive Conservatives said the decision to oust Ms. Ghamari came after “repeated instances of serious lapses in judgment and a failure to collaborate constructively with caucus leadership and as a team member.”

The move came shortly after Ms. Ghamari held a virtual meeting with UK activist and co-founder of the English Defence League Tommy Robinson, who was arrested in Calgary on June 24. The Canada Border Services Agency did not provide details about the reason for the arrest, citing privacy reasons.

Ms. Ghamari said she was unaware of Mr. Robinson’s history and wanted to meet to discuss the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its activities in Canada.

I condemn all forms of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, Ms. Ghamari added.

Following this meeting, Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said Mr. Ford should remove Ms. Ghamari from caucus, while Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie accused the Progressive Conservatives of “pandering to hate and Islamophobia.”

Ms. Ghamari said she is feeling “very hopeful and optimistic,” despite not knowing what the future holds.

“I will be taking some time to reflect on my next steps,” she said in the statement. “When one door closes, another door opens.”

The Canadian government recently listed the IRGC as a terrorist entity. The designation allows police to charge anyone who financially or materially supports the group, and Canadian banks can freeze its assets. It is also a criminal offence for Canadians abroad to knowingly deal with property owned or controlled by the IRGC.