Ensemble Montréal Candidate Apologizes for Controversial Social Media Posts – Montreal | The Canadian News

An Ensemble Montreal candidate is in trouble for comments he made on social media in the past year.

Dan Kraft, who is running for city council in Outremont’s Claude-Ryan district, posted a comment under a Facebook invite for the Global Climate March last month, which includes a link to a documentary denying the change. climate.

In 2020, he commented in a news story about a black man who was wrongly accused by Ottawa police of having expired license plates on his rental car. Kraft wrote, in part, “This host and many others are just looking for their 15-minute moment of fame. Silly stuff.”

“Certain actions and comments on my social networks do not represent the values ​​of Ensemble Montréal, I apologized to the party. I also apologize to people who were offended by my comments and removed those posts, ”Kraft said in a statement.

“I have learned from my mistake and I am committed to being more cautious.”

During a press conference on Friday, Ensemble Montréal frontman Denis Coderre endorsed Kraft.

“It’s unacceptable,” Coderre said, but added that Kraft has apologized and will stay at the party.

Ensemble Montréal has already eliminated another candidate for controversial comments.

Joe Ortona, director of the English Montreal School Board (EMSB), ran for councilor in the Loyola district for the Côte-des-Neiges-Notre-Dame-de-Grâce municipality, but was removed last month by a statement made by the school board saying that Quebec is not a nation.

When asked why Ortona was fired but not Kraft, Coderre replied that it is different, because Ortona had already had other opportunities, without offering further explanation.

“However, both are unacceptable. But I think (Kraft) apologized and said they wouldn’t do it again and we agree with that, ”Coderre said. “But there won’t be another chance if I witness that again from Mr. Kraft.”

When asked about the issue, Projet Montréal leader Valérie Plante questioned the kind of message the party sends by keeping “a climate change skeptic” as a candidate.

“I’ll let you run your caucus, but that party clearly doesn’t put the fight against climate change at the top of the list,” Plante said.

Ensemble Montréal wrote in a statement that it is ready to turn the page.

–With files from Anne Leclair and Annabelle Olivier from Global