Randy Hillier (File Photo)
Independent MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston Randy Hillier won’t run for re-election.
Hillier released a 20-minute video on his social media in which he says, “On June 2, I will not be contesting for the seat of Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston.”
He said the announcement would be “greeted by sadness by some,” and admitted, “glee by others.”
Hillier has had an eventful time in office since the Ford Government won the 2018 provincial election.
He was expelled from the PC caucus in March of 2019 and began sitting as an independent over allegedly controversial remarks to the parent of a child with autism at the Ontario Legislature.
In June 2020 he was accused of writing a racist tweet in response to comments made by Ahmed Hussen, the Federal minister of families, children and social development. Hillier later said the tweet was taken out of context and removed it.
Over the course of the pandemic, Hillier has hosted anti-masking and shutdown rallies and faces many charges in several communities (including in Smiths Falls and Kemptville) under the Ontario Re-Opening Act. The charges remain before the courts, cases often put over to later dates. He has not been convicted of any charges against him.
He has been outspoken against the response by government and health officials at all levels and has consistently defied public health mandates.
In late February, Queen’s Park unanimously passed a motion authorizing the Speaker to bar Hillier from participating in the chamber.
Government House Leader Paul Calandra tabled the motion pointing to what he alleged were racist and discriminatory statements made about federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, and for posts on social media channels that Calandra claimed were inciting a call to violence.
In his video, Hillier says, “Our political system is broken,” he also stated, “There is no sense spending any more time trying to fix a broken system from within when the problem lies without.”
Hillier has served as a member of provincial parliament since first being elected in 2007 for the riding then covering Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox and Addington.
He had earlier said he would run in the upcoming provincial election as the leader of the fledgling Ontario First Party, an offshoot of Maxime Bernier’s People’s Party of Canada.
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