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Backbencher who was booted from caucus after controversial meeting criticizes Ford

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is flanked by MPP's Michael Parsa, left, and Goldie Ghamari, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is flanked by MPP's Michael Parsa, left, and Goldie Ghamari, in Toronto, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020.

TORONTO - A former Progressive Conservative backbencher in Premier Doug Ford's government says she is disappointed with his "unilateral decision" to kick her out of caucus.

Goldie Ghamari, who represents the Ottawa-area riding of Carleton, was booted from caucus on Friday for what Ford called repeated lapses of judgment.

Ghamari came under fire last week after a virtual meeting with Tommy Robinson, the former leader of the far-right English Defence League.

Ghamari has said she was unaware of Robinson's history before the meeting.

She says she spoke with him because she is an Iranian Canadian immigrant and he wanted to discuss the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has recently been listed as a terrorist organization in Canada.

The meeting sparked outrage, with the National Council of Canadian Muslims calling on Ford to remove her from caucus.

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