A social media comment from federal election hopeful Greg Galante referencing the Holocaust was intended to highlight the division that can be caused in society by some current public health measures, according to the People's Party of Canada candidate for Nipissing–Timiskaming.
"I drew attention to that process of labelling and segregating citizens and put it into a historical context. From Nazi Germany to Rwanda to the Balkans to Cambodia we have seen genocides and mass persecutions BEGIN with inflammatory rhetoric, labelling and the stigmatization of minorities, without challenge," Galante explains.
The Galante tweet (embedded below) was mentioned during Thursday night's candidates debate hosted by North Bay Pride. In response to a question about the tweet from the debate's moderator — as seen just past the 21st minute of this stream — Galante explained it was directed at Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson for using "dehumanizing language to people who are unvaccinated — like the Prime Minister does. He said people who are unvaccinated are comparing themselves to Jews. I'm a historian by education. He was talking about the Holocaust."
How did the Holocaust start again Jim?
— Gregory J Galante (@GJGalante) September 15, 2021
Oh thats right with a systemic and programmed stigmatization of a certain segment of society. They were demonized, labeled (literally), targeted and then ultimately rounded up.
YOU. Are unbelievable and appalling.#VoteFreedom #VotePPC https://t.co/wiEerhAMoG
The tweet has also been referenced in separate media stories from CTV Northern Ontario featuring reaction from the local Jewish community and the characterization of Galante's statement as "absurd" by the Medical Officer of Health.
"There is no equivalency between current public health measures and the genocide that occurred during the Holocaust," the local PPC candidate advises in correspondence with BayToday. And, Galante maintains he never said there was. What he says he did — and will continue to do — is "speak against the dehumanizing portrayal of Canadians by those in leadership positions."
Until Thursday, the day after he made the tweet, the Galante camp says it had not received any media attention of any kind "regarding the positive message of the People's Party of Canada," from the CTV affiliate.
While CTV reported Galante had cancelled, the candidate says he took an unscheduled call from the reporter and agreed to meet without consulting his calendar. Due to a scheduling conflict, Galante's team offered a phone interview at a designated time but the reporter did not follow up at the offered alternative time.
The campaign team also says it has had no direct feedback from the Jewish community over the tweet, including interview subject Larry Fuld of the Sons of Jacob Synagogue.
"It is our understanding that CTV contacted the synagogue to draw attention to the tweet and create a controversy. Prior to that Mr. Fuld had not seen or reacted to the tweet."
See related: Environmental threats, high cost of living dominate Nipissing University’s candidates event
See also: PPC candidate 'very disappointed' at being shut out of local cable TV election debate
Regarding Dr. Jim Chirico, Galante adds, "Let's not forget he was the person who shut down skiing and snowmobiling even though there is zero scientific evidence that Covid spreads in such situations. But when faced with an actual confirmed case of Covid-19, he quarantined that person in an apartment building in Ferris and didn't tell the other residents for EIGHT DAYS. The end result was forty infections and three deaths.
"Somehow Chirico retained his job. He should spend less time commenting about Twitter and more time understanding what is a low-risk, and what is a high-risk, environment for Covid."
And: Greg Galante says PPC will say no to vaccine passports and drastically cut immigration
"We currently have the Prime Minister of Canada, the Premiers and Mayors of major urban centres beginning the process of the segregation and persecution of Canadians citizens based on their personal medical choices," says Galante. "I will never turn away from challenging that narrative. The People’s Party of Canada stands for letting Canadians make a personal choice when it comes to the Covid vaccination."
The 2021 Canadian federal election, will take place Monday, Sept. 20, to elect members of the House of Commons to the 44th Canadian Parliament. For more from Elections Canada, click here.
