Dropped federal Conservative candidate Don Patel is seeking the reason for losing his political aspirations over social media posts.
These posts suggested people should be deported to India and that Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, should “take care” of them.
Patel, the former Conservative Party of Canada candidate in Etobicoke North, where Humber North campus is situated, said he is not sure what the actual cause was for not letting him continue as a candidate and is still trying to figure it out.
“One thing I know is that some of my Facebook reactions, not the comments, but the reaction to somebody’s comments, is taken as some controversial statement,” he said.
Patel said this is being portrayed differently and is not at all what he meant.
He said he can’t confirm if the reactions were his own or done by his social media team, which he has had since 2023.
“Also, the Facebook comments that they are referring to have been hacked a couple of times, so at this point we are all still investigating,” Patel said. He said he respects the party’s decision to dissolve his candidacy and will not be appealing.
“I know it must have been hard for the party also to decide at this last moment to remove or drop the candidate from there and work all over,” Patel said.
He said this was not the news that he or his team were expecting at all.
“I’m also still trying to digest that, what exactly happened and how I will proceed further,” Patel said.
He said the media’s case was built on a “care emoji reaction.”
“Why they didn’t ask me earlier what it was (for) clarification or whatsoever?” he asked.
He said it’s amazing how emojis and giving a thumbs up while liking someone’s comments can cause such a controversial state of things.
“It’s amazing, like mind-boggling how that somebody can take this that seriously,” Patel said.
He said text is interpreted in many ways by people, depending on how they read it.
Patel said he is not involved with the Indian government. He has been a resident of Canada for almost 33 years and has visited India three to four times.
“I run an organization called Humans for Harmony, (which) looks after all the international students,” he said.
The organization is a non-profit that helps the students deal with suicide, death or other problems. It aims to help them in any way it can.
At the time of the interview, Patel said he was rushing to help an international student who had been shot the previous day in Ottawa.
The family had requested the body to be brought back to them, and he said he had to help out with the matter.
Patel said this organization is the only reason for his ties with the Consul General of India.
“I’m just a Canadian citizen and I’m working for my Canadian values and ethics,” he said.
Patel said getting pictures taken with public figures does not mean you’re involved with them. He said his name is already on the ballot, so he is not sure how the party will proceed.
Patel said he is not sure if he is to withdraw from the party or just drop the candidacy.
Natalie Weed is now the CPC candidate for the riding. Polls suggest Etobicoke North is a safe Liberal seat for the candidate John Zerucelli.
Patel is among four CPC candidates who were dropped as candidates by the party earlier this month. The party did not respond to requests for comment from Humber Et Cetera.
“It is definitely hard for me to see this happening at this point,” Patel said. He said he has been a Conservative for decades and will continue to be one.
“It is hard for my family, and especially more for my whole volunteer team, who have put their blood and sweat into this,” Patel said.
