Derek Sloan
Leader of the Ontario Party
Assumed office
December 14, 2021
Preceded byJoel Shepheard
Member of Parliament
for Hastings—Lennox and Addington
In office
October 21, 2019 – September 20, 2021
Preceded byMike Bossio
Succeeded byShelby Kramp-Neuman
Personal details
Born (1984-11-11) November 11, 1984
Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada
Political partyOntario Party (2021–present)
Other political
affiliations		Independent (Jan - Dec 2021)
Conservative (before 2021)
SpouseJennifer Sloan
Children3
Residence(s)Belleville, Ontario, Canada[1]
Alma materPacific Union College (BBA)
Queen's University (JD)
ProfessionLawyer

Derek Sloan (born November 11, 1984) is a Canadian politician who represented the riding of Hastings—Lennox and Addington.[2] Shortly after being elected to the House of Commons of Canada in the 2019 Canadian federal election, Sloan ran as a candidate for the Conservative Party leadership in 2020 and was eliminated after the first ballot. He has received national news coverage for his controversial views on LGBTQ issues, and making allegedly racist remarks.[3][4]

On January 20, 2021, Sloan was expelled from the Conservative Party caucus after it was revealed that he had received a donation from white supremacist Paul Fromm.[5] Party leader Erin O'Toole explained that the decision had been made "because of a pattern of destructive behaviour involving multiple incidents."[6]

In the 2021 Canadian federal election, Sloan ran in the Banff—Airdrie riding as an independent, and finished fifth.[7]

Background

Sloan was born in 1984 and raised near Waterford, Ontario.[8] He attended Kingsway College, a private Seventh-day Adventist Church-affiliated high school in Oshawa.[9]

In 2003, Sloan enrolled at Pacific Union College (PUC), a private university in Napa Valley, California associated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. There he completed a bachelor's degree in business in 2007.[10] While attending PUC, Sloan served as president of the university's student association in 2007.[10]

After graduating, Sloan moved to Toronto, Ontario to work at a water-fuel systems company.[11] Subsequently, he ran Sloan's Furniture Liquidation in Oshawa from 2011 to 2014. In 2014, Sloan began a law degree at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario; he finished articling in 2018. Sloan has said he pursued law because he was interested in "defending religious liberties against political correctness."[12]

Sloan and his wife Jennifer have two daughters and a son.[8]

Political career

2019 federal election

In 2018, Sloan announced that he would seek the Conservative Party of Canada's nomination for the riding of Hastings—Lennox and Addington.[13] At the nomination meeting, Sloan defeated three other candidates: a city councillor who had served for fifteen years in Belleville, a lawyer who had lived in the area for twenty years, and a local business owner.[14] Sloan defeated one-term Liberal incumbent Mike Bossio in the 2019 federal election, becoming the first Seventh-day Adventist ever elected to the Canadian House of Commons.[15]

2020 Conservative Party leadership election

Sloan announced his candidacy for the 2020 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election on January 22, 2020.[16] On January 27, Sloan made national headlines after tweeting in response to fellow leadership candidate Richard Décarie his belief that being gay is a choice.[17] During an interview on the CTV Power Panel Sloan went on to elaborate that he felt that the science of whether sexual orientation is a choice is unclear.[3] Sloan's comments were criticized by his former election campaign manager, Eric Lorenzen.[3]

A self-identified social conservative, Sloan attracted controversy for the policy positions he endorsed throughout the leadership race.[18] Sloan stated that were he elected leader he would permit Conservative MPs to reopen the debate on abortion or introduce private members’ bills aimed at overturning same-sex marriage.[18] He also voiced opposition to Bill C-16, which protects people from discrimination on the basis of gender identity.[19] He also vowed to vote against a federal ban on the pseudoscientific practice of conversion therapy, arguing that parents should be able to make children identify with the body they are born with.[20] Sloan has been widely criticized in the media and even within the Conservative Party for these views.[21][3][22]

On February 6, 2020, members of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte blockaded the Canadian National Railway north of Tyendinaga, in support the Wetʼsuwetʼen hereditary chiefs' opposition to the Coastal GasLink Pipeline within Sloan's riding of Hastings—Lennox and Addington.[23] Sloan spoke publicly about the blockade for the first time on February 18, stating the Liberal government should have responded faster to the protests.[23] Three days later, Sloan characterized the protesters as "radical extremists" and called on the Ontario Provincial Police to enforce an injunction to remove the blockade.[24]

On April 21, 2020, Sloan tweeted a video in which he asked whether Canada's Chief Medical Officer Theresa Tam worked "for Canada or for China?"[25] Sloan's comments singled out Theresa Tam, a Chinese Canadian, and were denounced as racist on social media;[25][4] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called them intolerant, saying they had no place in Canada,[26] and several fellow Conservative MPs denounced them as personal attacks.[25] Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer initially declined to comment on Sloan's remarks,[27] but stated that it was "inappropriate to question someone’s loyalty to their country" the following week.[28] The municipality of Hastings County condemned Sloan's remarks as "cruel and racist" and unrepresentative of the people of his riding, before calling on him to be expelled from the Conservative Party.[4] Sloan said the following day that he would not apologize, because "the idea people would think it was racist was not even on my mind. I would have said those statements about any public health officer that made those decisions in her spot."[29] The Chinese Canadian National Council (SJ) submitted a letter to the Conservative Party demanding that Sloan be expelled from the party's caucus and denied the opportunity to run for its leadership.[30] In an emergency session on April 29, 2020, Conservative MPs demanded Sloan apologize for his statements.[31] In a statement on April 29, Sloan said his comments were "rhetorical" but declined to retract them.[32]

In the leadership election, Sloan placed last on the first ballot and was subsequently eliminated after winning 14.39% of first-ballot points.[33]

Post-leadership election

Shortly after Erin O'Toole won the leadership, Liberal MP Pam Damoff called for Sloan's expulsion from the Conservative caucus. Sloan called it part of the Liberals' electoral strategy, while O'Toole declined to say whether or not he would expel him from caucus.[34] Despite a petition launched by anti-abortion organization Campaign Life Coalition for his inclusion, O'Toole did not include Sloan in his Shadow Cabinet.[35][36]

During a campaign webinar on June 4, 2020, Sloan accused Justin Trudeau of "effectively putting into law child abuse" by proposing a ban on conversion therapy.[37] Bay of Quinte PRIDE denounced Sloan's comments as "vile" and stated that Sloan was failing to adequately represent his LGBTQ constituents.[38] Fellow leadership candidate Peter MacKay likewise denounced Sloan's remarks as reprehensible.[39]

In October 2020, Sloan voted against a bill banning various forms of conversion therapy. He claimed that the bill would outlaw prayer and "amounts to child abuse", using it for fundraising purposes following the vote.[40][41] Sloan signed an E-petition that raised questions about the safety of a future coronavirus vaccine. When asked about the e-petition, he stated that it had "good points".[42]

Expulsion from Conservative caucus

On January 18, 2021, O'Toole announced plans to remove Sloan from the Conservative Party caucus (of Conservative Members of Parliament) after it was revealed that Sloan unknowingly accepted a donation of $131 from white nationalist Paul Fromm. Sloan received the money (donated under the name "Frederick P. Fromm") during the 2020 leadership campaign. Upon learning of the donation, Sloan asked the Conservative Party to arrange for its return to Fromm. He also pointed out on social media that the Conservative party had taken a ten percent cut of the donation.[43] O'Toole also stated that Sloan would not be allowed to run as a Conservative candidate in the next federal election.[44] The party also investigated his use of robocalls during his leadership campaign.[45] Sloan was voted out of the Conservative caucus on January 20, 2021.[5] The vote occurred pursuant to provisions of the Reform Act.[5][46]

Before that decision was made, the Party had issued a statement that "Sloan's campaign ... sold the party membership to Fromm". In a statement on January 20, 2021, Erin O'Toole explained that Sloan's acceptance of a donation from a white nationalist was just one factor of many that led to the ouster:[6]

"The Conservative caucus voted to remove Derek Sloan not because of one specific event, but because of a pattern of destructive behaviour involving multiple incidents and disrespect towards the Conservative team for over a year."

Post-expulsion

Following his expulsion from the Conservative Party, Sloan has travelled across Ontario to speak at protests and demonstrations against public health measures enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[47][48] On April 24, 2021, Sloan spoke at an anti-lockdown protest in Barrie where he recommended that the government explore treating COVID-19 using Vitamin D.[47] The following day Sloan, Ontario MPP Randy Hillier, and other demonstrators attended a service at the Church of God in Aylmer in defiance of the Reopening Ontario Act, which limits in-person religious gatherings to ten people.[49] Sloan has also attended demonstrations in Ottawa, Peterborough, Stratford, and Chatham.[50] Sloan was charged in relation to the event in Aylmer and has been investigated by Belleville police regarding a gathering at Zwicks Park.[51]

In July 2021, Sloan announced his plan to form a new political party.[52] In August 2021, soon after the 44th federal election was called, he announced that he would contest the Alberta riding of Banff—Airdrie as an independent.[7] He came fifth while the Conservative incumbent, Blake Richards, was re-elected.

Ontario provincial politics

In December 2021, Sloan was announced as the new Leader of the Ontario Party, intending to contest the 2022 Ontario general election.[53]

Electoral record

2021 Canadian federal election: Banff—Airdrie
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeBlake Richards43,67756.8%
New DemocraticSarah Zagoda12,46216.2%
LiberalDavid Gamble9,47212.3%
People'sNadine Wellwood5,8167.6%
No affiliationDerek Sloan2,0152.6%
MaverickTariq Elnaga1,4751.9%
GreenAidan Blum1,4051.8%
IndependentCaroline O'Driscoll4890.6%
IndependentRon Voss650.1%
Total valid votes 76,988
Total rejected ballots 396
Turnout 77,38469.36
Eligible voters 111,566
Source: Elections Canada[54]
2022 Ontario general election: Hastings—Lennox and Addington
** Preliminary results — Not yet official **
Party Candidate Votes%±%
Progressive ConservativeRic Bresee18,12947.55-2.70
New DemocraticEric DePoe7,25819.04-13.40
LiberalTed Darby7,05518.50+6.87
Ontario PartyDerek Sloan2,8127.38
GreenChristina Wilson1,7444.57+0.25
New BlueJoyce Reid1,1282.96
Total valid votes 38,126
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots
Turnout 46.98-12.12
Eligible voters 81,150
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +5.35
Source: Elections Ontario[55]
2020 Conservative Party of Canada leadership results by ballot[56]
Candidate 1st ballot 2nd ballot 3rd ballot
Votes cast % Points allocated % Votes cast % Points allocated % Votes cast % Points allocated %
Erin O'Toole 51,258 29.39% 10,681.40 31.60% 56,907 33.20% 11,903.69 35.22% 90,635 58.86% 19,271.74 57.02%
Peter MacKay 52,851 30.30% 11,328.55 33.52% 54,165 31.60% 11,756.01 34.78% 63,356 41.14% 14,528.26 42.98%
Leslyn Lewis 43,017 24.67% 6,925.38 20.49% 60,316 35.20% 10,140.30 30.00% Eliminated
Derek Sloan 27,278 15.64% 4,864.67 14.39% Eliminated
Total 174,404 100% 33,800 100% 171,388 100% 33,800 100% 153,991 100% 33,800 100%
2019 Canadian federal election: Hastings—Lennox and Addington
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
ConservativeDerek Sloan21,96841.4-0.5$34,287.91
LiberalMike Bossio19,72137.1-5.3$103,242.32
New DemocraticDavid Tough6,98413.2+0.5$4,351.46
GreenSari Watson3,1145.87+3.0none listed
People'sAdam L. E. Gray1,3072.46$1,020.01
Total valid votes/expense limit 53,094100.0
Total rejected ballots 352
Turnout 53,44666.7
Eligible voters 80,079
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +2.40
Source: Elections Canada[57][58]

References

  1. ↑ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Canada election results: Hastings-Lennox and Addington". Global News. October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Basa, Jennifer (29 January 2020). "Newly-elected Conservative MP Derek Sloan faces criticism after posting controversial tweet". Global News.
  4. 1 2 3 Baldwin, Derek (April 23, 2020). "Hastings County calls for MP Sloan's removal after 'racist' tweet about Dr. Tam". The Intelligencer. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 Tunney, Catharine. "Conservatives have voted to expel Derek Sloan from caucus, sources say". CBC News. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  6. 1 2 "Conservatives have voted to expel Derek Sloan from caucus". CBC News. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
  7. 1 2 Dryden, Joel (August 19, 2021). "Independent MP, ousted by Tories over donation from white nationalist, leaves Ontario to run in Alberta". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  8. 1 2 "Team Member: Derek Sloan". Conservative Party of Canada. August 12, 2018. Archived from the original on December 8, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Congratulations" (PDF). KC Contact: 14. Spring 2014. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Candidates: Derek Sloan". InsideOttawaValley.com. October 20, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  11. ↑ "325 PUC graduates celebrate with faith, flying tortillas". Napa Valley Register. June 21, 2007. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  12. ↑ "INTERVIEW WITH DEREK SLOAN, FIRST ADVENTIST ELECTED TO CANADA'S PARLIAMENT". Seventh-day Adventist Church. December 12, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Four candidates for HL&A Conservative race". InQuinte. November 14, 2018. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Sloan selected as new Conservative candidate in federal election". In Quinte News. November 14, 2018. Retrieved December 8, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Interview With Derek Sloan, First Adventist Elected to Canada's Parliament". North American Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. December 11, 2019. Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  16. ↑ Sloan, Derek (22 January 2020). "I'm in. It's time to stop being afraid to be conservative. Stay tuned..." Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  17. ↑ Gilmore, Rachel (30 January 2020). "Cause of sexual orientation' is 'scientifically unclear,' Tory leadership hopeful says". CTV News. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  18. 1 2 Cullen, Catherine (22 January 2020). "Social conservative MP Derek Sloan running for Conservative leadership, promises 'bold ideas'". CBC News.
  19. ↑ Duffy, Nick (April 4, 2020). "Tory leadership hopeful supports conversion therapy for trans kids in car-crash TV interview". Pink News. Retrieved April 11, 2020.
  20. ↑ "Derek Sloan won't be the next Conservative leader, but his populist rhetoric is still a concern". The Globe and Mail. April 4, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  21. ↑ Teitel, Emma (29 January 2020). "Being gay is not a choice but who cares if it is?". Toronto Star. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  22. ↑ Gilmore, Rachel (29 January 2020). "'Cause of sexual orientation' is 'scientifically unclear,' Tory leadership hopeful says". CTVNews. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  23. 1 2 Holland, Bill (February 18, 2020). "Local MP says Liberals too slow in responding to rail blockades". InQuinte. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  24. ↑ "Sloan calls for OPP to remove Wyman Road blockade". InQuinte. February 21, 2020. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  25. 1 2 3 "Conservatives blast MP who asked whether top pandemic doctor 'works for China' as Scheer steers clear". CBC News. April 23, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  26. ↑ "Trudeau slams 'racism' of Conservative MP's call for Tam to be fired". The Globe and Mail. April 23, 2020. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  27. ↑ Maloney, Ryan (April 23, 2020). "Andrew Scheer Mum On Tory MP Derek Sloan's Attacks On Dr. Theresa Tam". Huffpost. Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  28. ↑ Maloney, Ryan (April 27, 2020). "Andrew Scheer: Tory MP Derek Sloan Shouldn't Have Questioned Dr. Theresa Tam's 'Loyalty'". Huffpost. Retrieved April 27, 2020.
  29. ↑ Baldwin, Derek (April 24, 2020). "'I won't be issuing an apology,' says MP Derek Sloan". The Intelligencer. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  30. ↑ DiMatteo, Enzo (April 29, 2020). "Chinese Canadian National Council (SJ) calls for expulsion of Conservative MP Derek Sloann". Now Magazine. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
  31. ↑ Boutilier, Alex (29 April 2020). "In emergency meeting, Ontario's Conservative MPs demand leadership candidate apologize for attack on Dr. Theresa Tam". The Star. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  32. ↑ Politics, Canadian (2020-05-01). "Conservative MP Scott Reid slams 'leak' about Derek Sloan, suggests leadership campaign could be behind it | National Post". Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  33. ↑ Levitz, Stephanie (August 14, 2020). "After lengthy delay, Peter MacKay leads after first ballot in Conservative leadership race". National Post. Postmedia. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
  34. ↑ Mazur, Alexandra (August 26, 2020). "Liberal MP calls on Tory leader O'Toole to remove Derek Sloan from caucus". Global News. Corus Entertainment. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  35. ↑ iPolitics (August 31, 2020). "Morning Brief: New leader, new hurdles, new headlines". iPolitics. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  36. ↑ iPolitics (September 8, 2020). "Morning Brief: Who's in shadow cabinet". iPolitics. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  37. ↑ "Derek Sloan accuses PM of "child abuse" | Global News". 2020-06-08.
  38. ↑ "UPDATE: Bay of Quinte PRIDE condemns Sloan's 'vile' remarks on conversion therapy | InQuinte". 2020-06-05.
  39. ↑ "Sloan accuses Liberals of 'effectively putting into law child abuse' with conversion therapy bill | CTV News". 2020-06-03.
  40. ↑ "Federal conversion-therapy ban gets approval in principle, exposes divide in Conservative caucus". cbc.ca.
  41. ↑ "Former Tory leadership candidate using conversion therapy bill as fundraising tool". ctv.ca.
  42. ↑ "'Human experimentation': Tory MP sponsors e-petition disputing assured coronavirus vaccine safety". Global News. Retrieved 2021-01-05.
  43. ↑ Naylor, Dave (January 19, 2021). "EXCLUSIVE: Source says Sloan purge about stopping social conservatives at party convention".
  44. ↑ Jones, Ryan Patrick (January 18, 2021). "O'Toole moves to boot MP Derek Sloan from caucus after donation from white nationalist". CBC News. Retrieved 2021-01-19.
  45. ↑ Levitz, Stephanie (2021-01-20). "Conservatives set to vote on MP Derek Sloan's future in the party". CTVNews. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
  46. ↑ Levitz, Stephanie (January 20, 2021). "Conservative MP Derek Sloan ejected from party caucus". CTV News. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  47. 1 2 "PROTESTS AGAINST PROTEST AS MP DEREK SLOAN ATTENDS LOCKDOWN DEMONSTRATION IN BARRIE". Barrie 360. 24 April 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  48. ↑ "KINSELLA: Why are so many people lashing out against lockdowns?". Toronto Sun. 1 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  49. ↑ "COVID-19: MP Derek Sloan, MPP Randy Hillier among those involved in Aylmer, Ont., church gathering". Global News. 27 April 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  50. ↑ "MP: I'll fight fine for attending Aylmer church service during lockdown". The London Free Press. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  51. ↑ "Sloan attends Alymer church service, charges/tickets pending". Quinte News. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  52. ↑ Mohammed, Ladna; King, Megan (July 27, 2021). "Independent MP Derek Sloan announces plans to start new political party". Global News. Corus Entertainment. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  53. ↑ Risdon, Melanie (2021-12-14). "Ontario Party selects former MP as its new leader". The Western Standard. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  54. ↑ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  55. ↑ "Candidates in: Hastings—Lennox and Addington (040)". Elections Ontario. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
  56. ↑ "RCV Short Report" (PDF). August 24, 2020. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  57. ↑ "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
  58. ↑ "Election Night Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
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