{"id":223352,"date":"2022-05-24T10:36:46","date_gmt":"2022-05-24T14:36:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/?p=223352"},"modified":"2022-05-24T10:36:50","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T14:36:50","slug":"doug-ford-defends-will-bouma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/power\/politics\/doug-ford-defends-will-bouma-223352","title":{"rendered":"Ontario premier Doug Ford defends candidate slammed for homophobic scandal"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"is-style-article-kik\">The controversy has many calling for Will Bouma to drop out of the race<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Ontario premier Doug Ford has doubled down on his support for Brantford-Brant candidate Will Bouma following criticism of the conservative politician\u2019s ties to a homophobic church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In comments to the press on May 18, Ford addressed reports that Bouma, a member of Ontario\u2019s provincial parliament currently running for reelection, held a senior role with an anti-LGBTQ2S+ religious group. According to the news outlet <a href=\"https:\/\/pressprogress.ca\/ontario-pc-candidate-headed-committee-that-published-magazine-encouraging-kids-to-reject-the-homosexual-lifestyle\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Press Progress<\/em><\/a>, Bouma sat on the Free Reformed Missions International Church\u2019s board from 2011 until 2017, during which he also helped lead the Free Reformed Churches of North America\u2019s youth and education committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both groups are openly homophobic. The <a href=\"https:\/\/frcna.org\/resources\/acts-of-synod?download=71:acts-of-synod-2016\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Free Reformed Missions International Church<\/a> adopted a formal \u201cposition on homosexuality\u201d in 2016, which states that \u201cGod\u2019s condemnation extends to all homosexual desires and acts\u201d and that LGBTQ2S+ people would be punished on \u201cthe day of His wrath.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amid calls for the candidate to drop out of the provincial race, Ford defended Bouma as \u201cincredible person\u201d and an \u201cincredible man with an incredible family.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAnyone who knows Will knows that\u2019s not his views,\u201d Ford told reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Doug Ford responds to <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/pressprogress?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@pressprogress<\/a>\u2019 story on Will Bouma\u2019s role overseeing an anti-LGBTQ magazine that teaches kids to reject the \u201chomosexual lifestyle.\u201d<br><br>Ford says he \u201cknows that\u2019s not his views,\u201d and calls Bouma an \u201cincredible man\u201d and \u201cjust a quality person\u201d<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/onpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#onpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/cdnpoli?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#cdnpoli<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/7TeYAbTyr7\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/t.co\/7TeYAbTyr7<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0RKi1K9YsQ\" target=\"_blank\">pic.twitter.com\/0RKi1K9YsQ<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Luke LeBrun (@_llebrun) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/_llebrun\/status\/1526953982811418625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">May 18, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Bouma, who was first elected in 2018, also criticized the report. He noted that his daughter, Lena, is a lesbian.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI am a proud, loving and supportive father to a daughter who is a member of the LGBTQ community,\u201d Bouma tweeted on May 18. \u201cMy views are clear, I support the rights of all of my constituents regardless of orientation. I had no involvement in writing these articles.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I am a proud, loving, and supportive father to a daughter who is a member of the LGBTQ community &#8211; my views are clear, I support the rights of all of my constituents  regardless of orientation. I had no involvement in writing these articles.<\/p>&mdash; Will Bouma (@WillBoumaBrant) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WillBoumaBrant\/status\/1526915567738839045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">May 18, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The articles to which Bouma is referring were published in a magazine, <em>Youth Messenger<\/em>, that he personally oversaw as part of the Free Reformed Churches of North America\u2019s youth committee. In one such piece, the publication attempted to stop LGBTQ2S+ kids from coming out, and urged them to reject the \u201chomosexual lifestyle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThose of us who are raised in a church where homosexuality has always been considered a sin, even a grievous one, probably are more aware of the militant and strident homosexuals who publicly flaunt their lifestyle as in Gay Pride parades, or suffer from HIV, STDs and addiction,\u201d reads a passage from the magazine\u2019s September 2015 issue cited in the<em> Press Progress<\/em> report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Free Reformed Churches of North America confirmed that its views, which include advocating conversion therapy, have not changed since Bouma served on its board.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhat was published in the<em> Youth Messenger <\/em>and on our site is, in fact, what our church believes and what we teach,\u201d a representative told <em>Press Progress<\/em>. \u201cWill [Bouma] is a fantastic guy and he believes what the Bible teaches. Will is as much a member of our denomination as I am.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The scandal has led many, including members of opposition parties, to call for Bouma to resign immediately.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe news that @WillBoumaBrant, a full-grown adult, promotes homophobic and hateful views is terrifying,\u201d Toronto Centre Liberal candidate David Morris tweeted last week. \u201cIf these allegations are true, he can\u2019t stay as a candidate for the Conservatives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The news that <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/WillBoumaBrant?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@WillBoumaBrant<\/a>, a full-grown adult, promotes homophobic and hateful views is terrifying; sad it&#39;s revealed on <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/IDAHOBIT2022?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">#IDAHOBIT2022<\/a>. If these allegations are true, he can\u2019t stay as a candidate for the Conservatives. <br><br>2\/3<\/p>&mdash; David Morris (@DavidMorris_TO) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DavidMorris_TO\/status\/1526736848680366080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">May 18, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ford himself has had a shaky relationship with the LGBTQ2S+ community. In 2019, his administration attempted to roll back an inclusive sex-ed curriculum by reintroducing guidelines dating back to the \u201990s that omited concepts of sexual orientation and gender identity. Although Ford\u2019s government <a href=\"https:\/\/toronto.ctvnews.ca\/ford-gov-t-lifting-class-cap-sizes-allowing-parents-to-opt-out-of-new-sex-ed-curriculum-1.4337273\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">later backtracked on this<\/a>, an updated policy made it so that these concepts are taught in older grades and gave parents the ability to opt their children out of the curriculum.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ford also famously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/news\/canada\/toronto\/doug-ford-toronto-pride-parade-1.5159859\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">declined to march at the Toronto Pride Parade<\/a> in 2019, citing the event\u2019s exclusion of uniformed police officers, a decision made by LGBTQ2S+ organizers in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. And back in 2o14, Ford defended his brother, former Toronto mayor Rob Ford, <a href=\"https:\/\/nationalpost.com\/news\/toronto\/rob-fords-spendaphobic-mayors-not-against-gays-hes-against-giving-them-money-doug-ford-says\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">following a pair of controversial decisions<\/a> to vote against a study on a shelter for homeless LGBTQ2S+ youth and abstain from joining in a standing ovation for Toronto\u2019s World Pride festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cRob is not homophobic,\u201d Doug Ford said at the time. \u201cHe\u2019s spendaphobic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While there seems to be no indication of Bouma dropping out of the race any time soon, his scandal is just one of many tainting a candidate\u2019s image during the 2022 provincial election. Just last week, fellow Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario candidate Stephen Lecce <a href=\"https:\/\/westerngazette.ca\/news\/stephen-lecce-apologizes-for-fraternity-slave-auction-at-western\/article_43369876-d243-11ec-9e46-13a7a397cbed.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">made headlines for having participated<\/a> in a \u201cslave auction\u201d event at his university fraternity in 2006, and the Ontario Liberal Party <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thestar.com\/politics\/provincial\/2022\/05\/12\/steven-del-duca-says-he-will-fire-a-candidate-if-allegations-he-used-slur-on-facebook-are-true.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">fired three candidates<\/a> for past controversial behaviour, including instances of homophobia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-end\">The 2022 Ontario provincial election will take place on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elections.on.ca\/en.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">June 2<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The controversy has many calling for Will Bouma to drop out of the race<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":835,"featured_media":223319,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editorial_slug":"5","_editorial_slug":"5","exclude_from_latest_block":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,2],"contributors":[2252],"topic":[78,84,96,105,120],"clients":[],"series":[],"timeliness":[],"editorial_format":[],"type-of-work":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223352"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/835"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=223352"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223352\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":223356,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/223352\/revisions\/223356"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/223319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=223352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=223352"},{"taxonomy":"contributors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributors?post=223352"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=223352"},{"taxonomy":"clients","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/clients?post=223352"},{"taxonomy":"series","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/series?post=223352"},{"taxonomy":"timeliness","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/timeliness?post=223352"},{"taxonomy":"editorial_format","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/editorial_format?post=223352"},{"taxonomy":"type-of-work","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/xtramagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/type-of-work?post=223352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}