The veteran provincial politician was kicked out of the party at the end of March. Photo credit: CBC/Evan Mitsui
In the latest development of the Paul Miller saga, the MPP has filed a $1.3 million lawsuit against the Ontario NDP and its leader Andrea Horwath over his ouster from the provincial party.
The lawsuit, filed just days after the beginning of the official campaign period of the June 2 Ontario election, seeks damages for conspiracy, discrimination, and breach of contract of the former NDP MPP who is now running as an Independent.
He is also seeking declaration from the Ontario NDP and Horwath that they discriminated against him “on the grounds of age, marital, and family status.” Miller believes that the NDP came up with an excuse to boot him from the party in order to promote younger, more “equity-seeking” candidates.
The NDP has not formally responded with their defence as of yet, but party officials, including Horwath, have continued to double down on their decision to disqualify Miller from the party.
The new development is part of a weeks-long saga involving the Ontario NDP and MPP Paul Miller who was kicked out of the party for being part of a Facebook group called “Worldwide Coalition Against Islam” and for what the NDP calls a concerning “pattern of behaviour.”
Miller claims that he has never managed his own social media, his staffers have, and that no one in his position would ever join such a group. He says that there is proof of multiple staff members having logged into his account over the years.
The developments over the past few weeks mean that Hamilton East-Stoney Creek is now one of the most interesting ridings to follow as the June 2 election approaches. What would likely have been an easy NDP win had Miller been permitted to continue under their banner is now a riding where anything can happen.
The Ontario Liberals have a strong candidate in Hamilton Councillor Jason Farr, the Ontario PCs hope to build on the CPC’s second-place result in the 2021 federal election with their notable candidate Neil Lumsden, and the NDP hope to continue their party’s dominance with 28-year-old candidate Zaigham Butt. Also running are Cassie Wylie (Ontario Greens), Jeffrey Raulino (New Blue), Dominic Diluca (Ontario Party), and Cameron Rajewski (Electoral Reform Party).
One key event to tune into will be the Hamilton East-Stoney Creek Cable 14 all-candidates debate (provided everyone attends). The debate is scheduled for Wednesday, May 25 at 7pm and will be available on-demand shortly afterwards.
Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Kevin Geenen reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He is a regular contributor with The Hamilton Independent and has also been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, Niagara Independent, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. He is known for Hamilton crime updates and social media news graphics. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal from Governor General David Johnston. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. In March 2022, Kevin started working as an Office Administrator at RE/MAX. Kevin’s journalism work continues to be independent of his other jobs.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
