A Facebook post by the NDP candidate for Toronto-St.Paul's includes a racial slur, while referring to Toronto police chief Mark Saunders.
The post on Jill Andrew's social media page is dated July 8, 2016, and reads, "And the 2016 c**n award goes to," with a link to a story about Saunders criticising Black Lives Matters after the group's protest at that year's Pride Parade.
The four-letter word is a term sometimes used to refer to someone who has betrayed their heritage.
Andrew provided the following statement:
“As a Black woman, my personal Facebook post was reflective of the very tensions that I, and many in Toronto’s marginalized communities, feel and experience.
I recognize that loaded terms compromise discussion. My decision to stand for elected office is a positive step toward engaging with difficult conversations in our City and throughout the province and I am committed to participating in constructive dialogue and advocating for the positive change we all wish to see.”