Goldie Ghamari, the MPP for Carleton, has been removed from the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario caucus by Premier Doug Ford.
“This decision follows repeated instances of serious lapses in judgment and a failure to collaborate constructively with caucus leadership and as a team member,” a spokesperson said in a brief written statement issued Friday morning.
“While this decision did not come easily, it has become clear that MPP Ghamari can no longer continue in her role within our caucus.”
CityNews contacted Ghamari’s office Friday morning to ask about her removal from caucus, but a spokesperson referred to a post on X (formerly Twitter). Ghamari wrote, “when one door closes, another one opens” while sharing a reporter’s tweet with a screenshot of the statement from Ford’s office.
Ghamari’s removal came after multiple calls from the National Council of Canadian Muslims for her removal from caucus after meeting with Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist with a history of Islamophobic views.
“We are shocked and furious that MPP Goldie Ghamari has decided to once again demonstrate completely unacceptable conduct for a sitting elected official,” a NCCM X post on Wednesday said in part.
“MPP Ghamari was also called out last year for spreading Islamophobic garbage, for which she apologized. No apology is sufficient at this point for her latest ill-advised conduct.”
Hours after that NCCM post, Ghamari quoted it in her response.
“I condemn all forms of Islamophobia and Antisemitism. Hate has no place in Ontario. I was not aware of Mr. Robinson’s history prior to our meeting,” she wrote in part.
“I chose to meet with him because I am an Iranian-Canadian immigrant who has been speaking out on behalf of human rights violations by the Islamic Regime in Iran against Iranians in Iran and their attempts to spy and threaten Iranians in Canada. He wanted to discuss the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) which was recently listed as a terrorist entity in Canada.”
In addition to serving as the MPP for Carleton, she’s also the Ontario legislature’s justice policy committee chair. She was first elected as an MPP in 2018 and reelected in 2022.