Statement from Andrea Horwath regarding Steve Parish

“I have decided that Steve Parish cannot be a candidate for the NDP.

The NDP’s vetting process gave us confidence that Mr. Parish does not hold antisemitic views. However, our party is committed to naming and correcting injustice, and vowing to do better — and as a candidate he has not met the mark.

Specifically, Mr. Parish has not denounced the decision to have a street named after a high-ranking German officer in the Second World War. Perhaps most importantly he has not demonstrated that he understands why that is harmful.

I want to thank the grassroots New Democrats, community members and Jewish leaders who took time to meet with me to discuss this issue. Their counsel has been invaluable in arriving at this decision.

Our party is actively committed to being anti-racist, and that means taking action to tackle antisemitism. Our candidate team must be one that Ontario trusts to be leaders in the fight against antisemitism, and hate in all its forms — whether that’s in a synagogue in Texas or on the streets of Ottawa. Today, that means acknowledging and apologizing for our own mistakes, committing to do better, and moving forward.”