The Ontario Liberal Party has confirmed that its candidate in Chatham-Kent-Leamington has been fired after using a gay slur on Facebook eight years ago.
The party said Alec Mazurek has officially been terminated and will not be running as a member of the Ontario Liberal team this election.
Ontario Liberal leader Steven Del Duca was asked about the matter on Thursday morning and said he would investigate.
“I think it’s really important for leaders to take decisive action when candidate behaviour that is irresponsible, that is reckless, that is not what we stand for is dealt with in the most decisive way possible. So I will take a look immediately following this event and if that is the case he will no longer be a candidate for us,” said Del Duca.
Shortly after, the Ontario Liberals said Mazurek was fired for his behaviour.
The gay slur was posted in 2014.
Screenshots of now-deleted Facebook comments from former Ontario Liberal Party Candidate Alec Mazurek. Screenshots provided by the Ontario NDP.
Mazurek is no longer listed on the Ontario Liberal Party website as a candidate.
Mazurek is the third Liberal candidate to be dropped in recent days over questionable comments. On Wednesday, the party dropped its candidate in Parry Sound-Muskoka after it was revealed he self-published a book that claims babies can become gay by “re-breathing” air they have exhaled. A Liberal candidate in Sault Ste. Marie was fired after media reports that he took part in online discussions that included people making jokes about AIDS.
