Ottawa-area MPP Goldie Ghamari removed from Ontario PC Party caucus

Goldie Ghamari, an Ottawa-area MPP, has been removed from the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario caucus by Premier Doug Ford.

“This decision follows repeated instances of serious lapses in judgment and a failure to collaborate constructively with caucus leadership and as a team member,” a spokesperson said in a brief written statement issued Friday morning.

“While this decision did not come easily, it has become clear that MPP Ghamari can no longer continue in her role within our caucus.”

The statement didn’t elaborate on the “repeated instances of serious lapses in judgement” that contributed to the decision.

CityNews contacted Ghamari’s office Friday morning to ask about her removal from caucus, but a spokesperson referred to a post on X (formerly Twitter). Ghamari wrote, “when one door closes, another one opens” while sharing a reporter’s tweet with a screenshot of the statement from Ford’s office.

Ghamari’s removal came after multiple calls from the National Council of Canadian Muslims for her removal from caucus after meeting with Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist with a history of Islamophobic views.

“We are shocked and furious that MPP Goldie Ghamari has decided to once again demonstrate completely unacceptable conduct for a sitting elected official,” a NCCM X post on Wednesday said in part.

“MPP Ghamari was also called out last year for spreading Islamophobic garbage, for which she apologized. No apology is sufficient at this point for her latest ill-advised conduct.”

Hours after that NCCM post, Ghamari quoted it in her response.

“I condemn all forms of Islamophobia and Antisemitism. Hate has no place in Ontario. I was not aware of Mr. Robinson’s history prior to our meeting,” she wrote in part.

“I chose to meet with him because I am an Iranian-Canadian immigrant who has been speaking out on behalf of human rights violations by the Islamic Regime in Iran against Iranians in Iran and their attempts to spy and threaten Iranians in Canada. He wanted to discuss the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) which was recently listed as a terrorist entity in Canada.”

Ivana Yelich, deputy chief of staff for Ford, said that the premier made his decision after seeing the explanation Ghamari offered for the meeting.

“Her subsequent statement claiming she wasn’t aware of Mr. Robinson’s history prior to their meeting speaks volumes about her judgement and honesty,” Yelich wrote. 

In addition to serving as the MPP for Carleton (a largely rural riding in Ottawa’s south end), she was also the Ontario legislature’s justice policy committee chair at the time of her removal from caucus. She was first elected as an MPP in 2018 and reelected in 2022.

With files from Natasha O’Neill