Conservative leader Erin O’Toole has conducted his own political cancel culture tactic against social conservative MP Derek Sloan. Mr. Sloan’s crime was not to notice among the 13,000 donations made to his leadership candidacy the $131 from a Frederick P. Fromm, who turned out to be Paul Fromm who has acquired a reputation as a racist.
Significantly, the Conservative Party accepted a portion of this donation, accepted Fredrick P. Fromm’s party membership application in the summer of 2020, sent Fromm a ballot, and processed that ballot in the leadership race.
Under these circumstances, it is unconscionable that Mr. O’Toole would consider removing Mr. Sloan from the caucus, as the Conservative Party acted on the donation in a way similar to Mr. Sloan.
It is apparent that Mr. O’Toole is using the donation from Mr. Fromm as a cover to remove Mr. Sloan, a social conservative, from the caucus. His action is a crude attempt at silencing a differing voice from the Tory Caucus and amounts to cultural/political censorship. This action by O’Toole is both hypocritical and dishonourable.
It is ironic that during his campaign for leadership, Mr. O’Toole campaigned against cancel culture.
O’Toole correctly stated that racism is a disease of the soul and has no place within the party. His action toward Mr. Sloan had nothing to do with racism, but was solely political exploitation to silence a differing, more traditional view within the caucus.
Erin O’Toole owes his position as leader to social conservatives. Mr. O’Toole’s action in attempting to expel Mr. Sloan from the party is indistinguishable from the actions of the Liberal Party, and Justin Trudeau, who is now praising Mr. O’Toole for his attempted purge. Both leaders are anxious to please the left-of-centre voters and the left-wing woke, liberal mainstream media. O’Toole has reduced the party to being Liberal-lite.
Thanks to O’Toole’s short-sightedness and ego, the Conservatives have lost a viable and credible critic of Trudeau and his government at a time when it is needed most. This is not the leadership social conservatives expected, or were promised.
The upcoming 2021 Conservative policy convention presents an excellent opportunity for social conservatives to make their voices heard and to send a clear message to O’Toole that his bully tactics will not succeed.
For Canadian democracy to be healthy and sustainable, it is necessary to have a viable and credible right-of-centre party to counterbalance the monolithic media/Liberal/NDP/Bloc network. Such a party must be built upon respect for free speech, freedom to think and freedom to criticize. Silencing duly elected MP Derek Sloan is not the way to achieve this.
Erin O’Toole is failing to provide real leadership and instead is settling for what appears to be the enforcement of groupthink and strict adherence to the leader’s view. Conservatives deserve better and so does Canada.