The Canadian Press
TORONTO—Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Patrick Brown again is trying to keep a lid on social conservative views in his caucus, ordering a member of the legislature to retract comments about how some issues would be a priority for a Tory government.
Ontario’s French-language public broadcaster, TFO (Television francaise de l’Ontario), posted audio recordings online Tuesday of Chatham-Kent-Essex MPP Rick Nicholls telling a group of Christian supporters that the Tories would never form government on social issues alone.
But Nicholls added: “Social issues are very, very important. We need to form government, then watch us go . . . watch us go.”
TFO reported that Nicholls’ comments were greeted with cheers by members of the Canadian Multicultural Care Group and the Canadian Christian Association, who were hosting a reception at the legislature Dec. 7.
Other Tory MPPs spoke at the reception, including Sam Oosterhoff and Lorne Coe.
Brown responded to the report by saying he plans to lead “an inclusive government where intolerance will have no place,” adding “the comments made by MPP Nicholls were false and need to be immediately retracted.”
Nicholls did as ordered, issuing a statement saying the Tories “will not be revisiting divisive social issues” in opposition or in government.
“I retract and apologize for my comments of last week,” Nicholls said.
“I fully support the direction the leader is taking our party.”
Brown is trying to rebuild the PCs as a more open and inclusive party, but he angered the social conservatives he courted for his leadership bid when he flip-flopped on the sex education issue in a September byelection and said he no longer would repeal Liberal updates to the curriculum.
Nicholls’ comments play right into the hands of the Liberals, who already have been trying to paint Brown and his party as having a secret social agenda.
“Well, it’s not so secret anymore,” said deputy premier Deb Matthews. “We only know about this one because it was recorded.
“Who knows how many other rooms the very same things are being said in?”
