The candidate of Ensemble Montreal in Outremont, Dan Kraft, withdraws from the electoral campaign. He had been under fire for several weeks for sharing climate-skeptic content and posting comments questioning discrimination against blacks.
“My involvement has always been sincere, but my political adventure stops immediately because of a smear campaign against me,” he wrote in a statement posted on his Facebook page.
“As a researcher and professor for more than 25 years, I create the debate, and this, with the aim of sharing different points of view which only invite people to think,” he insists.
He points to social networks and mentions having “neglected” the warning of the Union of municipalities of Quebec, which had “denounced the radicalism and the hateful nature of social networks in politics as a way of preventing greater citizen participation. “.
“For more than 20 years, I have been an activist in the fight against anti-Semitism and all types of discrimination, especially against minorities, but this is not what has been hammered out in recent weeks on social networks. As an immigrant, I can only have an open mindset towards diversity. I have been in the renewable energy field for over 20 years, but that too has not been disclosed, ”he writes.
Denis Coderre had had to defend himself from keeping his candidate for a post of borough councilor in the Claude-Ryan district in Outremont on his team. ” I’m not happy. […] We spoke to each other. He apologized. He is entitled to a second chance and that’s it. We will move on. We will make sure that he does not do it again, ”Mr. Coderre indicated a few weeks ago.
Last month, the leader of Ensemble Montreal showed the door to his candidate for councilor in Loyola, Joe Ortona, after he questioned Quebec’s recognition as a nation. Lachine mayoral candidate Julie-Pascale Provost also withdrew because she allegedly refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Ensemble Montréal now has 97 candidates in 103 districts, while Projet Montréal presents 103 and Mouvement Montréal 68.