Ontario legislature orders apology from controversial MPP Randy Hillier over conduct

MPP Randy Hillier must apologize to Ontario’s legislature before being recognized by the assembly following reckless and dangerous conduct on social media.

The motion was moved by the Ford government and passed by all parties on Tuesday, government house leader Paul Calandra announced.

Hillier must write a written apology to the federal transport minister and the legislature before being identified as a government member.

Hillier has represented Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston since 2018. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Hillier was removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus and now sits as an independent.

“The speaker is authorized to not recognize the member for Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston in the house until the speaker has received copies of the member’s written apologies and is satisfied with their sincerity,” Calandra said.

Hillier has frequently posted COVID-19 misinformation and conspiracy theories throughout the pandemic. He’s also been ticketed for allegedly breaking public health rules and has more recently supported and attended the Ottawa occupation by anti-vaccine mandate protesters.

I've received confirmation that approximately 200 tractors will be arriving in Ottawa shortly. The emergency act is not deterring the thirst for freedom. #FreedomConvoy2022 https://t.co/Hr7bsGpa8B

— Randy Hillier (@randyhillier) February 17, 2022

On Jan. 25, Hillier called Canada’s Minister of Transportation Omar Alghabra, a “terrorist.” Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino urged Twitter to remove the post and categorize it as hate speech.

In a separate statement, Hillier called on the RCMP to open a criminal investigation into Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom he accused of engaging in an “act of domestic terrorism” by depriving Canadians of food and other necessities in the middle of winter.

“Canadians have come out in massive numbers, from every walk of life, from all the diversity of our great nation, saying ‘this ends now,'” said Hillier in a Jan. 30 press release. “It’s time their governments listen to them.”

https://twitter.com/randyhillier/status/1487185227181088769

Hillier was also criticized for encouraging people to crowd emergency service numbers (911) after Ottawa Police explicitly said to stop due to the danger it posed.

Ottawa lawyer Michael Spratt told the CBC on Tuesday that Hillier “should be prepared to soon hear from police” because of his comments on social media. It’s unclear if the MPP will face charges.

In Nov. 2021, Hillier — a frequent participant and voice in anti-lockdown and mandate protests — apologized for a post in which he used names and photos of people who had died, suggesting they had passed due to a COVID-19 vaccination.

Hillier previously violated mask rules at the legislature four times, trying to enter the members’ lobby to vote instead of wearing a face shield. The Sergeant-at-Arms prevented him from entering, and Hillier alleged it breached parliamentary privilege.

The Speaker ruled against him.

With files from The Canadian Press